Red Card - Cards Verse Part II
by Awatere11
Summary: Someone has sinned and they must be removed. Who attacked the Harkness-Jones family? How will this impact the family and who is the family member taken out of the game for a while due to the offence? Two years after Green Card, Caden 'Storm' is 2 1/2 and Alice almost 6. If you don't like my Alt Verses don't read. No flamers or Trolls please (sick of those) love Crumbly Cake xxx
1. Chapter 1

"Stormy, put that child down!" Jack's roar had Ianto looking up from the weeding as his two and a half year old son toddled past chortling softly, the bug in his hand waving merrily to Ianto.

"Caden, is Willy OK there or does he need his Mama?" Ianto asked and the little one stopped his forward motion to examine the bug a bit closer and then turn to find Mavis bearing down on him clacking softly as her friend looked around for her larva.

"Good baby" Mavis crooned "Willy has to go now, his mama is going to get his dinner."

Caden considered and held out his hand, relinquishing the little bug who scuttled across Mavis to his Mama's waiting claws.

"Good boy" Ianto said softly, resuming his weeding as he listened for the ping that would tell him Rose was back with Alice.

"Stormy!"

"Jack, Caden is down here" Ianto roared, hating to do so but the man drove him to it sometimes and he watched Jack enter the courtyard and clap his hands to encourage the little one to him. Jack called him Storm or Stormy a lot, most of them did now the wee one's personality matched it but Ianto retained the Caden first name for his son out of respect for the man who he would never meet to thank for such a gift … the little one's real father.

That the mother had gifted Caden to him before she died was something he would be eternally grateful for.

Ianto sat back as he watched Jack lift the little toddler up for kisses and cuddles the ping sounded so he rose, wiping his hands on his pants as he turned to politely bow to the dark shadow in the corner, the Panther Plant did not return the acknowledgement but they were not ones to do much.

"Taddy!" Alice exploded into the courtyard, her face flushed and something in her hand. She was a lovely little girl with Harkness blood assuring her many suitors and her parentals grey hair one day.

"My darling" Ianto smiled as he opened his arms and her face was glowing as she presented him with the envelope. Ianto knelt and looked her in the eye, "Is this what I think it is?"

Her hands were clasped together as she panted and nodded, no words needed as the coveted Family Evening Invites were due out any day for the important Ball the school held each year for those with good standing or scary pasts.

 _Yeah, they sort of fell into both categories there I suppose._

Ianto carefully opened the envelope knowing she had handed it to him as she knew he would preserve it for her, not tear it asunder like her Father would have and he slid the pristine invite out and let it shine in the sunlight.

"Wow" he sighed theatrically as her eyes glowed with pride.

"Alice, darling. You really make me so proud I might explode" Ianto said softly, "This will be framed, you know that right? My first official invitation to honour you, look. My name right there next to Daddy's."

She leaned forward where Ianto Harkness-Jones and Jack Harkness-Jones were written in flowing script, her eyes wide with delight as she saw Ianto's joy in her hard work. "No Caden?"

"Caden will be too tried, it's a night-time party love" Ianto smiled as he saw her love for her little brother, "Mavis will let the bugs have a sleepover maybe if I ask nicely, a wee inside picnic and bedtime cuddles."

She nodded as she accepted that and turned to look at her father who was advancing with Caden tucked under his arm, it looked like he had a teddy bear. A squealing writhing one.

"Our invite to the formal parental evening" Ianto said happily "Oh Cariad. We all need new clothes I think."

Alice's intake of breath was in stereo as Rose stood in the doorway of the courtyard, her own hands clasped like her niece's as they knew a shopping spree would be allowed.

"Yeah, well. Go on then, Pete Save Us!" Jack sighed as he swept the little boy into the air so he screamed with fake horror and then erupted into messy laugher once cuddled again.

"Black and white tie" Ianto said as he turned to nod to his sister-in-law. "I know I am usually picky but this is a special event. I would like a sophisticated dress, preferably a wee black number. Jack and I can both wear black as well. We will all look trim. She is almost six, I think she can be grown-up in her clothing now if she wishes. I will allow accessories."

"YAY!" Alice danced off as Alice raced after her and Jack lowered his son to the ground, then released him to run off.

"Gods, she is growing so fast" he sighed as he looked down at the invite, careful not to touch it. Jack knew he would destroy it in a millisecond's touch, as was his way.

"She is perfect" Ianto assured him, "Just like her Dadda."

Jack accepted the kiss with a soft hum of joy.

It had been a while, a couple of years and Ianto had said….right?

Jack wondered if it was time to raise the question of another baby yet.


	2. Chapter 2

2

Ianto was reading the file as Caden ran around the office touching everything. Normally his Taddy would have gently scolded by now but this office was a free for all, Aunty Evie always let him touch.

"Come here bubba" she crooned and he toddled over, his arms up with open glee for her to lift him into her lap.

 _She gave lovely cuddles and her hair smells great._

"Well, I don't think it is cause for alarm" Ianto finally spoke and looked up from the file at her, smiling softly, "It is the Third Rell and we often see heightened activity from this sector around this time of season. It is their traditional party time. You were wise to increase the stations along the border, that was swiftly done without gaining attention."

"I remembered that skirmish last time that almost broke the treaty, I don't know why their young have to get so drunk and obnoxious" she replied, stroking the little face that shone for her, the affection clear.

"Well, I will ask if anyone this side is importing any 3R." Ianto said, the elixir of these creatures was also a highly toxic alcoholic concoction that induced madness in some and only drunk during their sacred ceremonies. Although banned, it still snuck through border patrols sometimes and they both knew it would cause chaos.

"Thank you Ianto, dear. Just need ears to the ground and I know your street whispers are still active" she rose and handed him the baby, a kiss goodbye and a little toy slid into his hand as Ianto scolded without anger, used to this as well. It had been a shock to find her enamoured with their son, her usually cold façade so easily crumbling each time Caden approached her and Ianto had become aware that he may have been of a Welsh Colony but not entirely Welsh. Ianto now suspected he had a drop of something else in his DNA but didn't really care, he was so damned perfect.

"Come on squirt monster" he crooned as he adjusted the boy on his hip and Caden opened his hand to look at the little toy bug that looked a lot like Willie, his face lighting up with delight.

"Fank Oo Evie!"he said with glee around the huge lolly in his mouth compliments of her also, "Luf Oooo"

"Ahhhhhhh" her face shone with delight as she leaned in and kissed him, "Goodbye fine prince."

"What a wonderful bug" Ianto said as they walked down the long corridors of power, "He looks just like our Willie. Wow, I bet they will all be so impressed too, your own baby buggy."

"Yeah" Caden sighed happily, laying his head on Ianto's shoulder as he felt the love pouring from his Taddy into his very bones, feeling small but mighty.

Reaching the car park, Ianto leaned in the back and clipped his son in who was so busy with his toy bug he didn't even fuss like he sometimes did when being restrained. Caden hated confinement of any kind, wanted to run. Jack liked to joke that he even ran in his sleep.

"OK" Ianto said as he looked into the wee face, "Let's go get the shopping, yeah?"

"YEAHHHHH"

Ianto clipped in and eased the vehicle out of the parking bay and headed for the exit. There was a vehicle in front of him slowing to give way for another at a small intersection as the afternoon called many away from their work and as Ianto sat waiting for the vehicle to move he drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and hummed, his son making happy noises in time to it as he sang a nonsense song.

The slam was unexpected, the hover hit in the left rear and spun around in a slow arc as Caden screamed with fear. Ianto immediately fired it up and wrenched the wheel trying to stabilize it as they spun towards parked vehicles and he swore as he touched the panic button on the edge of the wheel that immediately deployed airbags around his child.

They hit with a sickening crunch.

Ianto sat with his heart pounding and his blood boiling, then over the sound he heard Caden so he gingerly got out and stepped to the back to wrench the door open, relieved it was the opposite side to where he was sitting and leaned in to disengage the safety feature. Now Caden could see his Taddy the screaming stopped and he blinked at him with huge shocked eyes, "Tadda. I dropped Willy."

"It's OK" Ianto soothed "Taddy will find him and Daddy with scream and run away. OK?"

Caden's lip wobbled as he tried bravely to smile.

Ianto was about to say something else soothing when he felt two strong hands grip his hips and he was propelled out of the vehicle and though the air to land on the hand driving surface so hard the air was knocked from his lungs and he gasped for breath as he looked up at the huge man who was descending.

"Look what you did to my fucking Hover, do you know how much that cost?" the man roared and Ianto staggered to his feet as other people started to intervene, they pulled the man back as they tried to defuse the situation and Ianto looked back to see Caden had managed to undo the restraints and was climbing out so he rushed in and plucked him out.

"Oh dear Pete, he had a baby in there!" a woman called out and more people started getting involved as they tried to help, Ianto assuring them Caden was just afraid, not injured.

The blow to the side of his head was totally unexpected and as he slammed against the vehicle the horror of the situation became real as Caden screamed in his arms.

Ahhhhh shit.


	3. Chapter 3

3

Ianto reacted without a second thought, even concussed and confused his training was running true and as he swung his arm back his hand caught the man squarely in the right cheekbone and he stepped back with a grunt of surprise.

Ianto then let his body continue to pivot and his arm came back around his baby and he angled himself as his foot rose to slam into the thug at the same point as his fist, driving him back a couple of staggered paces which is when Ianto snarled animalistically and drove his forehead into the same said cheekbone then he finally heard that satisfying POP/CRUNCH he had been listening for, stepping back as the man started to scream in a high pitched voice, his hand covering the now fractured orbital bone.

Caden had stopped screaming and was clinging to Ianto. His face buried in his chest as Ianto staggered back against the vehicle and tried to shake himself back to full capacity, those around them still getting in the way as they milled between them shouting and trying to defuse things.

The man straightened up and looked around, focusing on Ianto and he advanced again, this time screaming that he was going to kill him and eat his fucking young.

"OK, you a heard that?" Ianto said calmly as he crouched and then exploded up into the air kicking off the open door of the vehicle and he pivoted in the air, kicking out as the man came close enough. The man flew back, hitting the support beam and sliding down it as Ianto staggered around the vehicle to put it between then, "Please has someone called security, where the hell are they?"

The man groaned and groggily got to his hand and knees as people tried to encourage him to sty down, more than one glancing at the dangerous man who clung to his child while making low growling noises occasionally.

Although most were oblivious to the danger there were a few in the crowd that recognised the actions in play and had called security repeatedly as they saw a possible homicide about to happen.

The man was on his feet and he seized a woman who was holding a cloth to his eye, throwing her into the crowd who screamed and ran for it leaving Ianto and Caden there.

Fucking pussies.

The man advanced and Ianto knew he had little to no options so he leaned back against the hood and raised his legs, licking the man's knees and groin as hard as he could but the man still advanced, grabbing Ianto by the throat as Caden screamed again.

"OI!" shouting and the sound of running, security finally arriving … the useless pricks, Yvonne was going to hear about this.

Ianto drew back and then struck, biting down on the man's nose and feeling the gristle between his teeth as the man flailed and screamed.

"STUNNING!"

Ianto released the man to step back and give them a clear shot.

The thump to his back was both unexpected and horrifying as he comprehended that he had just been stunned with a child in his arms, falling forward as he could not control his momentum and he landed awkwardly as he tried to protect Caden from his weight, the stun also affecting his baby who was making a gargling noise as he convulsed in his arms.

Ianto's last conscious thought was that he didn't care who fired that, they were all going to die.

.

.

.

.

Ianto woke in a cell.

OK.

He thought he could not possibly get more pissed but here he was, in a fucking holding cell?

CADEN

Ianto sprung from the bench and hit the Coms Button, "Where is my son, is he alright? Caden, where is Caden?"

The door swung open and Ianto stepped back warily as three men entered along with a petite woman who was clearly in charge.

"Perhaps we can sit and discuss that" she purred.

"I want my Vid-call first" Ianto replied calmly.

"Soon first we need a talk"

Ianto canted his head, "Under Shadow Proclamation Law and the Intergalactic Rights of 4021 I am entitled to a Vid-Com call the moment I request one."

"And I said you will get it, now sit down before one of my men puts you down" she purred, flicking her hair back with distain.

Ianto was super ice.

He sat and looked at her, then down at the file she was opening and he knew his son was still in the building somewhere. The pieces of paper she was removing told him a multitude of things mostly that they had broken protocols so many times that this entire division were in a world of hurt that they hadn't even felt yet.

"Right, let's start with a name" she said as she leaned back to look at him, "You have no ID, no Ident chip and you don't show up on any data base."

"No, I wouldn't" Ianto said softly, "I am a Ghost."

"A ghost?" she frowned and canted her head as one of the men froze behind her.

Ah.

Ianto focused in him and despite how much it hurt his bruised face he grinned.

They want to know who he is?

Really?


	4. Chapter 4

4

"This child you had with you" she said as she shuffled the papers, "Care to tell us where you got him from?"

"I want my call" Ianto said slowly.

"He doesn't belong to you, clearly isn't even of Old Earth given the markers in him" she was still talking like he hadn't "He is being taken care of by our trained staff and I can assure you he only has a few scrapes and bruises. Shame, pretty wee thing to be marked."

Ianto's fingernails dug into his palms as he heard that he hadn't managed to fully protect him from the fall and now his heart was breaking for his baby, "I am giving you one last chance to save yourselves. Give me my call and I will only have you reprimanded. Except for the moron who shocked me with my baby in my arms … or keep pushing me and I will decimate you."

"A threat?" she grinned, "really? Hear that boys? This man thinks he can threaten the Heddlu!"

She laughed along with two of the men, the third now quiet as he studied Ianto with mild curiosity.

"I've seen you before" he finally said as he crouched into Ianto's face and Ianto knew where, his edidic memory pulling a thought of the man into his mind.

"Yes, you were presented with a medal when you graduated" Ianto said to him, "Yvonne Hartman pinned it onto your chest herself to show her intention to employ more Heddlu in response to the increased border skirmishes."

"That's right" he pointed a finger at Ianto, "I remember you. Black suit and shirt, even your tie was black. You stood back from the security crew like…ahhhhhhhhh shit."

The man snatched his hand back and straightened, paling as he stated to backpedal towards the door, his eyes wide, "Ah shit."

"Yes, you all do appear to be in some" Ianto nodded calmly, "Now be a good boy and run along. Get your captain so he can at least save some of this place from destruction and while you are at it get my son and bring him to me. If he leaves this facility with someone I will not only tear this place asunder with rage I will have you all sent to the fucking settler planets to see out your service, I swear to Pete."

"Sir" the man bowed, "Yes Sir."

He struggled with the door for a few moments, then got it open and then fell out slamming it with a frantic whimper that was heard and Ianto slowly turned his head to look at the woman who was sitting there trying to comprehend the weirdness she had just seen.

"Would you like an explanation?" Ianto asked with an eyebrow raising.

She blinked.

The man that entered was tall and strongly built, his demeanour that of one one used to being in charge and he entered, looked around and then yanked a chair out to sit at the head of the table. "Hi, I am Captain Edward Munch, I understand you have a complaint to make?"

"Hi" Ianto answered with a fake smile, "I am the victim. I was attacked and assaulted with my child in my arms then your men shocked me …. With my baby in my arms and now I am being held without a Vic-com call being issued while being denied access to said child who is now injured as he was in my arm as I fell."

"Brenda?" the Captain turned to her with a frown, "He had a baby in his arms when he was shocked?"

"A toddler, not a baby" she snorted and Ianto felt that blood boiling again.

"OK, I am really getting pissed and I know this is nothing to the level of anger my husband is going to feel, let alone Caden's favourite Aunty. Please, let me have my Vid-call and stop digging the hole deeper for yourselves."

"See?" Brenda said to Captain Munch, "Cocky bastard isn't he?"

Ianto seethed, "Actually my parentals were fully bonded before my inception, I am not a bastard at all. If you think calling the Jones Empire into this helps any, please dear lady continue to fuck with me."

Everyone fell silent and the Captain slow blinked, "So. You are of those Jones' are you? What relation to the old man?"

Ianto took a deep cleansing breath and canted his head, "The vid-call?"

"Whatever" Brenda shrugged as she shoved the Vid-Com PDA at him, "Go wild!"

Ianto picked it up and immediately changed the setting to multi-room then keyed in five numbers. He smiled at the PDA and gave his message, placing it back on the table once he had deleted those numbers form it's internal memory.

"Thank you" he said as he slid it back at her and she grinned. "I do hope you are ready for this."

"So polite, you hear that sir? So polite" she plucked it up and opened it, frowning as she looked at a blank screen, "It's not working."

As the alarms started to sound and every device in the place started to malfunction Ianto wondered if they had got it yet.

You know.

Their level of shit?


	5. Chapter 5

5

The Captain looked at the man sitting calmly at the table, the dried blood and bruised face betraying nothing to him.

"So. You did this?" he asked.

"No" Ianto replied, "I think you will find this was an immediate response from the Agency."

Silence.

"You know, the Elite Torchwood Agency? Who really get pissed when one of their highly decorated and revered members gets treated like a common thug?" Ianto smiled, "Or maybe it's just that Yvonne is so fond of wee Caden that the thought of her Godson injured has driven her a little bit insane. Funny one, that Yvonne. Prone to fits of rage, did you know that? Yeah. Fierce beastie when riled."

Silence.

"Or, the fact the second number my message was sent to was direct to the Torchwood Mainframe? She likes me and is a bit protective of her assets too, or…now here is the real kicker. The third receiver works in the bowels of the Agency and has her fingers on every pie so she might have control of the facility now. The fourth was my grandfather, the 'Old Man' as you called him. But the final one? Ahhhhh, the bum biter. Hah. You see I also sent that message to my Husband. Captain Jack Harkness-Jones. I think he will be slightly enraged when he sees my face, even before he learns his only son was in my arms. Well, yeah. Enraged. Incensed? Homicidal? Hmmmm. I know. Let's say …. He will be fatal."

Ianto now had the man's rapt attention as he leaned forward to meet him, their faces close enough for the man to see those tiny flecks of green in Ianto's eyes, "I am First Lieutenant Ianto Harkness-Jones. Retired Elite Forces Ghost and Agency Cleaner Agent. Code name Wolf."

The captain hadn't taken a breath since Ianto's purr had started and now it was a deep shuddering one as he finally got how deep the level of shit was, even if his colleagues didn't and he blinked as he started at the monster before him.

"I have so many authorised kills that I don't even need to mention those pesky little unauthorised ones, do I?" Ianto canted his head, the grin now unnerving, "Now bring me my son before I lose my shit and tear the door off its hinges to go searching for him. Believe me, I can kill as many of you as I like while doing so and be justified. We both know the law here, I am exempt. Diplomatic Immunity! Right? Get. Me. My. Son."

The Captain exploded for the chair, flying back to hit the wall and stare at the madman, then he left the room and Ianto folded back into the chair, shooting his cuffs as he listened to the shouting and chaos.

"You know, that high pitched sound in your ears is not good" he said as he plucked a trouser leg before crossing his knees, "That is a High Class Hoover Destroyer. That means my love has left the training grounds to fly here and is currently landing on the roof. You ever met someone who has her Majesty's ear? Well, you are about to if you are not careful and if I know anything about my GrandTad …. He will be screaming."

Brenda blinked as she slid her chair back.

The door opened and Captain Munch entered with a sobbing Caden, Ianto forgetting everything and everyone in that moment, rising to snatch him into his arms and he retreated to the bunk where he cuddled him and promised it was OK, "Daddy will come save us."

Caden burrowed into Ianto, his little body shaking with the effort of crying and Ianto's heart tore apart knowing he had been crying for him scared and alone.

Then the most wonderful thing he had ever heard wafted down the gall.

"IANTO!"

"Jack" Ianto slumped with relief as Jack entered the room, an elite team with him swarming in to raise their weapons at those still sitting at the table, Jack running for the bench.

"Oh Cariad" Ianto felt his emotions starting to constrict his throat and he swallowed to calm himself, "I was Tasered. I had Caden in my arms and I was shocked, I fell on him Cariad."

Jack pulled Ianto's jacket open enough to see his son's face and the black smudge on his cheek where he had hit the ground, then he rose and touched his ear, "Got them. Storm is injured."

Ianto didn't need to ask who that was as the agents all jumped at once and slapped their hands over an ear.

"Come on love" Jack said softly, "Let's get go home."

"I want the bastard that hit us hung drawn and quartered" Ianto pouted as he let Jack pull him to his feet, "No. No. I want him skinned alive in a sea of salt. Him and the one who fired the taser."

"Shhhh" Jack drew him into his arms and held him as he shook with rage and adrenalin, "I will kill them all. Do you want me to kill them all darling?"

Ianto sighed as he finally heard his insanity and he snorted into Jack's neck, pulling back to pout, "Can I at least have one castrated?"

"Awwwwwwww" Jack crooned, "My beloved. Of course, you name him, I will cut off his balls with a rusty piece of tin, just for you."

"Oh my hero" Ianto slumped again now placated and safe as Caden exchanged grips from his Taddy to his Daddy and he breathed in the calming scent of Boeshane.

"Come on, we all need a cuddle bath" Jack decided, pulling them from the room and Ianto glanced back as he left the room the last thing he saw was Brenda shuffling the papers with shaking hands.

Sure does stink doesn't it girl.

When its over your fucking head.


	6. Chapter 6

6

"Cooeeee"

Caden wriggled from Jack's arms and ran naked from the bathroom as he cursed softly and was left holding the towel he had been drying the imp with.

"Evie! My Evie"

Yvonne scooped up the toddler and kissed his cheeks, then looked at the marks on his skin with a quick yet critical eye.

"Hello there Yvonne" Ianto said gently as he entered, Alice settled in her bed after he had laid in the bed with her for a while so she could see he was OK. Today had shaken all of them.

"Evie, I lost my Willy" Caden said with a sad face as she blinked as she tried to understand, looking to Ianto for help.

"The toy bug you gave him, he named it after one of his friends. He had it in the car during the accident and dropped it, I don't even know where the car is let alone the toy" Ianto sighed, "Baby, Taddy is sorry."

"Awwwww" she crooned as she kissed his cheeks again, "Aunty will fix it darling."

She reached into her pocket and removed a coms device, "This is Me. Get the Harkness-Jones Hover and find the toy my little man dropped in it. A bug. Get it, bring it here ASAP!"

"There darling" she crooned as she placed the device back in her pocket, "He will be here soon."

"Oh Evie" he sighed as he laid his wee head against her chest, "You so good!"

"Awwwwww" her joy was evident as Ianto placed a blanket over him, accepting that a naked boy was a happy one right now.

"Hello Yvonne" Jack finally emerged and she smiled, watching him lean over for Ianto's affection then ruffle a little head of hair as he checked the CCTV, "who's that?"

"Mine" Yvonne replied as the man allowed himself to be frisked by an overly abrasive Mavis, a grimace the only indicator that she was a little rough.

He entered the room and held out his hand, the toy bug pristine in his palm and Caden gasped as he sat up to look, clapping his hands and then throwing his arms around Yvonne's neck. "Oh Evie, lovely!"

Soon he was sitting on the floor with his toy without a care in the world as Yvonne turned to look at them.

"Right, the one who hit you with his vehicle was called Franks. The one who tazed you was called Markil. They are both gone now" she said softly, "That department had been…dissolved."

Ianto had an image of people sinking into a huge vat of acid, Brenda screaming as she sank like in the Terminator Movie that was re-mastered a few years back. He didn't even blink.

"Thank you Yvonne, you are a wonderful friend and I am sure our son would be the first to tell everyone that you are a treasured member of this family" Ianto said with a soft cant of his head and she looked delighted with that as she reached to to stoke the little boy's head.

"I never thought about being a parental, thought Torchwood would be my child" she frowned softly, "I now see that I missed something."

"Never" Ianto said softly "He is right here waiting for your affections. Always. His beloved Evie, he will always love you. You are the mother figure in his life, you and I both know how much he loves you. You will never let him down, never fail him like a fucking Terminator. A machine. I trust you with his life. Always."

"Besides" Jack said as he motioned for the man to sit as well, "We have grown accustomed to you around here, you are family."

"Are you staying for tea?" Ianto asked as he rose, "His nibs would love to show you how well his knife skills are these days."

She smiled as she nodded enthusiastically and leaned forward, "Can I sit next to you at Tea sweetling?"

"Yeah, I have a knife and fork with my name on them" he said excitedly, "You got them for me"

"That right" she grinned, "Gold."

"Pretty, yeah" he shone, "And sissy has some too, pink gold."

"Rose gold" Ianto corrected and he nodded.

"What Taddy said."

"You were too generous there" Ianto said and she snorted at what was obviously an old argument. "You know she is not yet asleep if you want to poke you head in."

Yvonne made a noise in her throat as she rose and left the room to visit Alice, Ianto knowing the little girl was still watching her movie and would welcome the lady who always gave lovely gifts.

"Second time this week" Jack said after a moment and Ianto hummed.

"I think she's lonely" Ianto admitted as he messaged his grandtad for the third time that evening that he and bubs were fine, "She sees what we have, what she passed by. Better she be on our team Cariad."

Jack nodded as he was forced to agree.

If the shit hit the fan she would have the best umbrella.


	7. Chapter 7

7

Ianto had considered for some time before relenting and letting her in, now his mother sat uncomfortably as Alice examined her.

"I know you" the little girl said slowly, "I have seen you before. You were with the rude man."

"Alice. This is your…" Ianto stumbled, frowned and then recovered, "My mother."

Alice caught the change of pace and canted her head, frowning deeper, "Why is she here?"

"Darling, it is rude to speak of someone like they are not in the room" Ianto reminded and she nodded.

"Sorry Taddy" she responded then turned to the woman who she was not to call Grandmother then, "Why are you here?"

Ianto held back the scolding that was bubbling in his throat, then realised it was a giggle.

"Yes mother, why are you here?" he asked, motioning for Alice to give her some room and the child sat primly at Ianto's feet, one hand on his shoe to show ownership, just in case she needed to know such things.

Caden wandered into the room, "Hi Tadda, Hi Sissy, Hi lady."

"Hello Caden, Hello Willy, Hello toy Willy" Ianto responded calmly without blinking as Caden shoved the toy into his father's face to make sure he knew he had both real and fake ones. Willy clicked happily on his friend's shoulder as Ianto's mother's eyes widened with horror.

"Who da lady?"

"Taddy's mother and apparently it is rude to speak of someone like they are not in front of you." Alice replied.

"Huh." He turned to face her, "Then wot you want lady?"

"My children have freedom of speech on my house" Ianto said calmly, "I try not to muzzle them too much, as you can see they are clever."

Willy waved an antenna, so Ianto spoke for him "And Willy is cool."

Willy nodded happily.

Caden looked back over his shoulder lovingly at his Taddy for remembering his friend who was touchy about being overlooked due to his wee size. He sort of reminded Ianto of Owen in a weird kind of way.

"I did not come to argue with you, I wanted to see you" she said softly.

"So he doesn't know you are here" Ianto surmised.

"Who he?"

"Caden, please form better sentences" Ianto scolded, unable to hold back any more, "You say 'Who is he', not 'who he' please."

"OK" Caden shrugged as he looked at his sister.

I think 'He' is the shouty man" she stage whispered and Caden rolled his eyes, sitting to play bug fights with the Willys.

Ianto sighed.

"Ianto, I don't like going behind your father's back, you know that. I have suffered for that and I know I can never make amends for the things he has done" she began "I am afraid of him, always was."

Ianto waited.

"When my mother died, she left some things to you." She wrung her hands "You were so young, your father was the executor and he said he would take care of everything for you until you were of age. But as soon as you came of age…he…"

"Threw me out" Ianto said angrily, "All this time. Are you telling me all this time he has held something G'ma gave me?"

"Oh dear" she said as she looked ready to run from the room.

"Mother just tell me" Ianto sighed.

"The house, land and printing business were all left to you" she blurted, "Jewellery and other things too. All this time he's been terrified you would find out and ask where all the profits from the printing firm are, you would find out he has been keeping his mistress in the Penthouse in New New York that is yours as well, oh dear, I shouldn't be telling you…he will be so angry. But I see you and I know…I know my mother would be so disappointed in me for not standing up for you, you were her favourite of all the children. Oh Ianto love, I have been so afraid of that man my entire life. I am so sorry."

Ianto rapped his fingers on the arm of the chair as he considered what she had been saying, "Two homes? The estate as well as a penthouse?"

"Well" she looked furtive again and he frowned.

"How many properties did she leave me?" he demanded, his hackles rising now.

"She also left you the ancestral home, the one out on the country that is unkept and overgrown. Oh dear, it has been I our family for centuries, I don't think it is worth anything now" she sighed sadly, "Once upon a time it was quite the status symbol."

Ianto canted his head as his mind flicked through possibilities and he frowned, "Balmoral?"

"Yes dear" she nodded, "The country estate is yours as well."

"Balmoral?" Jack said softly from the doorway, "What about that place?"

"Apparently it's mine" Ianto glared at his mother, "I need a copy of my Grandmother's will, I need to see what else my father had been keeping of mine. Thank you mother."

Ianto rose to storm from the room and hesitated, looking back at her with indecision that surprised Jack. He had not seen Ianto torn like this as he stared at her, then he sighed and turned again saying over his shoulder, "You can stay here."

Jack was looking at Ianto's mother and saw the raw relief.

What had he missed?


	8. Chapter 8

8

Ianto had sort of expected it, ignored it and hoped it would not happen but it had and now he sat looking at his sister as she looked around at his home for the first time.

"I kept meaning to come sooner but business takes me off world so much and I know you prefer your privacy" she said as her eyes swivelled back to him, taking in his still figure.

"I have received the gifts your habitually send, thank you for remembering my children at Christmas" Ianto said gently, forcing his hands to be still in his lap.

"Well, you remember mine" she shrugged, then she pulled a file from her bag, "I understand form Stanley that you requested a copy of GMa's will? He had trouble finding it but has finally found it in the old system. I've not looked, this was all so long ago to be bringing up."

"I am sure your father pointed that out quite adamantly while trying to block its release" Ianto said as he accepted it and she frowned as she looked at him.

"He is your father too" she scolded, "Stop talking like that."

"He is the man who supplied part of my DNA, I now know what it is to be a father and I am sorry Rhia, he was never a father to me" Ianto replied as he opened it to look at the will, "As always he cut the meat lean and I was always off-cut."

"That's not true" she sighed "He tried to include you so many times, but you were so moody."

"He constantly told me I was a disappointment, he called me a Nancy Boy and beat me if I showed any weakness. He would come to my room at night and molest me, told me I was not his son just some by-product of my mother's imaginary affairs and then when he realised I was about to come of age to discover the financial abuse he kicked me out of the family all together" Ianto finally looked up at her, seeing her stony face of denial and he shrugged.

"Believe what you want you always did" Ianto sighed, "You were, are and shall always be his queen. You choose to believe him over me, of course you do. I do not fault you, he would never hurt you, never raise a hand or slip between your sheets. It is of no matter, as you said it was all so long ago. Thank you for this, I shall have my people look at it and then start the necessary proceedings to take my assets off you both. You know the way out, you entered that way. Go back to him and tell him that he was right. He did say I would be the ruin of him one day. Tell him I am coming for him now."

"What are you talking about" she spluttered, "Da is a good man, all these lies and fake memories you have. I don't understand"

Ianto placed the memory chip he had prepared on the table between them.

"Watch. Don't watch. It is up to you. Either see the proof of his sexual deviancy, hear his admitted desires and thoughts or leave it sitting there and return to the parental that will never let you down." Ianto waved his hand at her, "I don't care. I have the time and the money for this. Tell him he has seven working days to sign everything over to me or I will come for him. I will come with the full backing of the Harkness Family as well as the might of the Agency. I do not fear him now, his threats are empty unlike mine."

"I just don't understand" she said sadly, picking up the chip and he wondered if he should have snatched it back, but it was done. She would watch the grainy footage of his father raping him, she would hear the small boy crying and begging him to stop, hear their father's cruel laughter. She would see the documents and know the empire promised to her is all ash. Maybe it is as it should be.

They seemed to always be on opposite sides of the fence.

Ianto watched her leave and then turned to find Caden standing there with his toy in his hand, his face serene, "don't worry Tadda, I love you."

"Oh Caden Bum" Ianto shone with delight as he knelt and gathered his son into his arms, "And I love you, so much I want to explode."

Caden hummed as he snuggled into that wonderfully warm embrace and then thought some more about the lady who had just been here hurting Taddy's heart bits.

She belonged to the 'shouty man' sissy had told him about. They hurt Taddy and made him feel small inside.

Caden looked at the monitors as the gates in the screen swung shut and Rhiannon's hover disappeared off the side of the screen.

Caden would remember her.

They were not welcome.

Not in his Taddy's Den.


	9. Chapter 9

9

Ianto handed everything to Yvonne knowing she would ensure the best outcome for him, especially his children then promptly forgot all about it. After all, he had all he needed.

"Taddy?"

Ianto looked up from the drawer he was sorting through and found Caden standing there with one of the older bugs, almost the same size as him peeking around the doorframe, "Yes darlings?"

"Henry wants to know if he can have a sleep over" Caden asked, "Willy is in time out and the other bugs are having some party but Henry doesn't like the one whose birthday it is."

"Wow" Ianto said softly, "That was a lot of words, very well used darling, well done."

Ianto praised and Caden grinned happily. The Bug clicked impatiently.

"So, your sister Emetine is ten today, right?" Ianto asked the bug who nodded silently. Ianto was taken with the strength of it, large for its age and already capable of lifting his son off his feet if he felt like it, such powerful friends to have. "I ordered a cake for her, you don't want the cake?"

Weird clicking and soft whistling as the creature answered and Ianto hummed as his little boy snorted and turned to his friend, "That's not really fair. Her birthday, she should pick the cake."

More noises of discontent.

"Well…I will ask Daddy but don't see why not. I know you and your hive sister do not get along, not since she shut your foot in the door that time. I know she didn't mean to and you were quite right to be upset. It did grow back, I see" Ianto said as he rose from the floor and headed to the vid-com, both children following eagerly and he keyed in Jack's office where he was sitting staring intently at a pen tipping it one way, then the other "Cariad?"

Jack looked up and grinned, "Baby! Hey this pen is so cool where did you get it? You get me cool things and … hey guys, are you doing cool stuff there with Taddy bum? Yeah?"

"Henry would like to sleep over with our son please" Ianto said calmly, "It is his sister's birthday and remember last year it did not end well?"

"It did grow back" Jack nodded "Don't see why not. Ask cook if they can have a wee picnic, maybe put up their tent thing and have a camp."

Squealing started behind Ianto as the children heard and Ianto now knew Willy would be twisting to get out of his time out as well, "OK Cariad. Don't forget to pick up Alice's dress from the cleaners please."

"OK, hey your father's people sent me some papers to sign … sort of like a post-nup. Can you believe it?" Jack grinned "I sent them to your inbox, I figured you would like a laugh."

"Well don't sign them" Ianto snorted, "What is mine is yours. How dare they assume I need protecting from you, it's them I need protection from!"

"I would sign if you want me to" Jack's face growing soft, "Baby, I would sign everything over to you if you want me to."

"Stop it, just because we are on vid-com it doesn't mean I can't spank you later!" Ianto scolded and Jack gasped theatrically.

"With the babies in the room, seriously!" Jack spluttered with glee his hands flapping as he leaned in and blew a kiss, "Love you Wolfy."

"Love you too Captain" Ianto said softly, their pet name for each other still their code names from their active days, something they both found weirdly amusing.

"Which tent" Caden demanded, "Can it be the red one?"

Ianto looked at the bug and considered "Might not be large enough, Henry needs to lay on his side love. Maybe you need to ask Carter for the yellow one so the large mattresses can fit in?"

"OK" Caden nodded "In the courtyard?"

"Might rain tonight, atmospheric was turned on for the weekend remember love, maybe inside? What about the ballroom, you can have the lighting changed to stars on the ceiling then and have the temperature nice and warm." Ianto said as he went back to the drawer, "Also, it means Willy can sneak out easier when his mama isn't looking."

Caden looked furtive for a moment, then grinned as he nodded and the two children wandered off, Alice stepping aside to let them pass as she sought her Taddy.

"Henry had grown again" she said as she settled in a chair, "Is Daddy getting my dress?"

"I reminded him love" Ianto said absently.

"Will Caden behave?"

"Caden is having a picnic and sleep out in the ballroom with one or more bugs, maybe even Kolt is he remembers to invite him. He will behave if he knows he is coming home to a treat like that" Ianto said as he considered Caden's only little human friend he allowed into his world, "Aunty Evie will meet us at the theatre and you can both sit with her while me and Taddy sit behind you."

"Good" she shone as she rubbed her hands and then rose to get some things, "Taddy? What are you looking for?"

"Found it" Ianto rose and smiled as he palmed the little pin.

He just had a weird feeling about tonight.


	10. Chapter 10

10

Ianto was adjusting his daughter's sweet little dress which was black and chic with her sunglasses making her look like a movie star.

He was sliding the antique pin into her dress bodice as Jack came into the room with Caden on his hip, the little boy looking like he might explode with annoyance.

"But she's _her_ aunty" Caden said sullenly.

"She's your Godmother too and you know you love her just as much" Ianto scolded, "And you promised to be nice. She has done this special treat for your sister and included you, she didn't have to. You will sit there, not make up your own song words and not laugh at the death scene. You will not loudly tell everyone that 'he dies' when pointing at the main actor and you will not…I repeat not yell out to Juliet that it's all a trick. Understand?"

"But if it was a Robot War I would understand" he sighed, "But Romeo and Juliet? Boring. I wanna stay with Gammy."

"Stop it!" Ianto scolded again as he grimaced at the mention of his mother who he avoided in the large house, her quarters in the lower levels where she kept to herself except to creep up at bedtime to see the children once Ianto and Jack had retired for the night, "If you can't be nice then you don't need the sleep over later."

He was still a wee boy, far too small to hide his dismay and Ianto knew Jack was going to fold any second to he changed the subject, "Do you know what food you want? Try to think of everything so she doesn't have to send one of her men back for more. They might like to sit and watch too. It is the Terfiggal translation after all they always add colour."

He nodded, turning to the soft touch "daddy?"

"Yes darling" Jack crooned, "My little storm boy."

"Can I sit with you?" Caden used the biggest eyes as he could and he knew he had won as Jack glanced at Ianto with those same wide eyes employed.

"Oh Jack!" Ianto sighed, "You know she wants the kids by her."

Jack pouted more and Ianto felt a stab of anger "Fine. You and Daddy can sit in the seats behind then, I will sit with your sister and aunty. Gods help me, I did want to sit with daddy but it's OK. You two can sit together instead."

Now Jack's face changed as he realised Ianto was angry and he frowned, "It's just a play love, you know he will fidget and carry on when he gets bored. I can slip him out if I have to. Come on, don't be snotty."

"Snotty" Ianto said softly, his eyes flaring now as he looked at his husband, "Is that right. I'm snotty? Jack, can I speak to you in my room for a moment please?"

"Oh come on Ianto, don't ruin her evening, she's so excited" Jack said as he lifted the boy back to his hip, "come on loves, Daddy will get you squared away on the transporter, Taddy can follow once he remembers who's evening this is."

Jack left the room as Ianto stood simmering, then he took a deep breath knowing Jack would pay for that later when they were alone. He was unbelievably angry that Jack had let himself be played like that, also that he had openly argued in front of the children and he was about to go after them when he looked up, into Henry's eyes.

"Henry, you should not be there" Ianto said softly, "Run along and get the tent sorted, yeah? We will be back in a couple of hours and he's all yours."

The bug dropped silently from the ceiling to settle in front of him and a claw came out to touch his face with such softness, such a gentle affection that Ianto smiled.

"I am fine sweetling, just annoyed" Ianto assured him, "Don't worry. We are all fine."

Ianto walked out to the large sleek Transporter Yvonne had sent to collect them and settled into his seat across from Jack who frowned as the seat next to him remained vacant. Alice reached out and hooked Ianto's hand happily, not noticing the frosty look the two men shared. But Caden did and it suddenly occurred to him that he had caused a problem with his naughtiness.

"I'm sorry Taddy" he said softly, "I just really don't want to sit with the girls."

"It's fine Caden" Ianto replied with a smile he hoped looked happier than he felt, "You and Daddy will have more fun together than I would have been. I can sit on my own with the girls."

Jack was looking out the window and he turned to look at Ianto, seeing his face drop for a moment as he looked from their son to the late afternoon outside.

"Ianto?"

"Let's just let Alice enjoy her special treat for making her stats, Ok?" Ianto said without looking at Jack, "This is her evening after all. Maybe I should have just let him stay home."

Now Caden knew he had done something wrong, his Taddy sounding so sad as he clutched his hands together and Caden glanced at his Daddy or reassurance.

"I'm not in trouble am I?" he asked in a small voice, "I will still get my sleep over if I sit back?"

"Of course you will" Ianto answered before Jack could, "You are a good boy. It's all fine. Come on, you can still enjoy the food, you like the food yeah? Maybe even some to bring home for the boys?"

Caden brightened as he realised he could ask for a couple of extra packets of sweets, they liked sweets.

Ianto's hands squeezed tighter as Jack watched the knuckles go white.

Shit.

He just didn't understand why Ianto was so nervy.


	11. Chapter 11

11

Yvonne was waiting and she cooed with delight at the little dress she had chosen herself, the two looking elegant and shiny as Ianto shrugged off his coat to give an usher, ignoring Jack's outstretched hand.

Jack handed over the other coats and they started in, the usual nodding and polite conversations as they passed those who wished to show favour and please Yvonne. It was surprising to find some also wanted to be in the good graces off the two men and more than once Ianto felt Jack clutching at his arm and he let him lead him to their seat, then stepped into the front one to sit next to Alice, Yvonne on the other side so the little girl could preen between them.

Jack sat behind them with Caden and immediately the little boy protested, "I can't see."

"The curtain hasn't gone up yet" Ianto explained, turning in the seat, "The stage will be lit and the other lights will fade out so we can all see."

"Oh" Caden blinked, "OK."

Ianto was about to turn around again when Jack reached out and touched his arm, "Are you OK?"

Ianto looked at him for a moment and then nodded, the moment of pause telling Jack he wasn't at all but was not about to talk about it. Jack knew he should have stepped into the room and talked freely with him, the exchange between them with the kids there hadn't been right. Jack sighed and looked at his son who had so easily dictated the mood and swore silently. The wee storm had created friction again.

"Come on kids, don't forget the glasses" Yvonne said excitedly as she placed the optical lenses on. The old fashioned frames giving it all an old earth feel.

The music had started, signalling the play was about to begin and Ianto turned with a drink in his hand to pass to his son, then he looked at Jack and frowned, looking at the theatre glasses and the unnatural shine in the corner of one lens.

Ianto reacted without a second thought, swinging as he dropped the drink to the floor and Caden looked with shock at the liquid as it splashed his little feet. Ianto was rising from the chair to reach across his daughter and slap his hand down on the palm pad by Yvonne that deployed the emergency shielding within the viewing boxes of the gallery level.

The sound of the explosion was muted against the shielding and the children cried out with fear as Yvonne threw herself over Alice even as she felt Ianto's strong arms grabbing her shoulders to shield both her and the child.

They sat up shakily, Yvonne's eyes scanning the massacre below as Ianto rose and started shouting orders to those waiting in the corridor outside the viewing box. Caden was crying softly so Ianto turned to pick him up, cuddling him as he let Yvonne check Alice. Jack was already out the door heading for the lower level and Ianto could soon see him below moving amongst the dead and injured barking orders.

"This was not an accident" Yvonne said in a shaky voice, "That was not a gas leak or something, was it."

"No" Ianto said softly, "I saw the ignition under the stage. Must have been primed to go off when the curtains moved."

"Gods, how many are down there?" Yvonne asked, her strength retuning as her anger started, Alice clutching her skirts with large eyes.

"Aunty?" Alice asked with horror as she peeked into the pit blow, "Someone hurt them? Why?"

"I don't know darling" she answered, looking at the man who had just saved their lives. They shared a look as they both knew the blast was aimed at the box they were still in, the emergency shielding saving them even as it failed to help anyone else.

"Thank Pete you saw it" Yvonne whispered as she lifted Alice onto the chair so she could hold her tightly.

"A fluke" Ianto answered, also knowing he would not have seen it if he had been sitting back with Jack.

Caden's little play of power had just saved their lives.

Ianto sank into a chair and held Caden as he shook with fear and adrenalin, the horrible image of those below changing to his own sweet babies and their delicate, fragile little bodies.

Someone had just attempted to assassinate Yvonne Harman.

They had just tried to kill his family as collateral damage.

They were going to learn that was not an acceptable loss.

Ianto calmly handed his son to the only person he could trust outside of his own house, telling her to take them to the Transporter, he would follow once he had talked with Jack.

Yvonne didn't argue, simply carried Caden as Alice walked sedately beside her, still clutching her skirts.

"Madam, what are your orders?" an agent asked, his face bloody from shrapnel.

"Don't ask me" she snapped, "Ask him."

He turned to watch Ianto exit the box room with a snarl on his face and his elegant suit jacket already discarded to over a body his daughter had glanced at.

The Wolf began to prowl.


	12. Chapter 12

12

Jack could hear gunfire in the upper level, abandoning his task to head up there towards Ianto and their children with his Webley drawn.

Ianto was coming down the stairs towards him, Yvonne following with the children and Jack fell behind them as they passed to flank and he looked back as they moved towards the parking level behind the theatre.

Ianto felt the bite before the sound registered and he grunted as he was forced against the wall, Yvonne dropping low with the children as another shot hit near her head. Ianto knew he was in trouble, the pain intense as he gasped through the heat flaring down his arm.

 _Focus._

He struggled to raise his head and look in the direction the shot had come from, seeing the gunman moving closer.

 _You still have another arm stupid._

Ianto granted, raising his left hand and firing, gaining instant relief as the gunman crumpled and he glanced back to see Jack firing as he shielded the children from the other side.

They were hemmed in, corralled to this corner and trapped.

 _Shit._

Ianto reached out to calm his daughter who had started to cry, his hand stroking her face as he looked her in the eye, "Focus love. Be calm and focus."

As he spoke he let his hand slide down to the sparkly pin on her dress and he hesitated knowing what this might mean, then he looked over at his little boy, his face mashed into Yvonne's chest as she snarled and fired around him.

 _Focus._

Ianto took a deep breath and pressed the pin, pinching it together and activating the Emergency Beacon, then he rose to cover his children again.

Ianto began to count in his head, glancing over as Jack reloaded to fire in that direction and he awkwardly raised his injured arm to fire indiscriminately in the direction of more gunfire.

Ianto got to eight when the world exploded with light and sound, his gun immediately dropping as he swung to grab his children and Jack swung with open shock as security in black clothing swarmed the place with the Jones insignia clearly displayed on their flat jackets.

They now moved with deadly calm and they were in the Transporter heading for the house with Ianto calling ahead to alert the staff when Jack finally noticed the blood.

"Babe? Where is that blood coming from?" Jack asked as he looked at the smear on the seat, Ianto turning his head to look at him, then back out the window behind them.

Now Caden is a good little boy, a clever one and it is easy to forget that he is still a baby but the sight of his Taddy's blood was an instant reminder that he was just a wee boy who loved his Taddy as he started to crying, ugly wails as he reached for him.

"It's OK darling" Ianto soothed, letting the boy clamber into his lap even as the pain became almost unbearable with the added weight of the little one, "Taddy's OK. Just a boo-boo. It's OK, Aunty Yvonne saved you for me, it's OK."

Jack swore as he slid across the seats to gather Ianto into his arms, his hand finding the wound and Ianto cried out as Jack applied pressure, now Alice started to cry as she finally realised Ianto was hurt.

"Just a little longer darlings" Yvonne soothed as she watched the landmarks pass, "Nearly home."

As the Transporter flew up the drive flanked by two Jones Industries Security Vehicles the dome shimmered to life, four full sized bugs exploding from the house to challenge those in the vehicles.

"Stand down" Ianto said as he struggled out with Jack's help, "They are with us."

The bugs nodded and moved past the vehicles, the men nervously following to sweep the interior of the dome for intruders and Jack helped Yvonne out and then scooped up their son, "Vonnie, grab Alice, lets get inside."

Mavis was waiting with nervous clicking with two of her older staff-bugs standing beside her and Ianto's pain galvanised them as they ran up the walls to moved with unbelievable speed long the hallways.

As one headed up, the other heded down and soon all knew the family had been attacked, the castle because a swarm as the bugs who lived in the lower levels spewed forth to protect their hive and the men they saw as their gatekeepers.

An attack on the Harkness-Jones family is an attack on their kind.

Yvonne watched with open awe as the bugs moved through the grounds seeking prey. She turned and followed the men to Ianto's' Rumpus Room where Jack lowered him to the sofa despite his complainants that the blood might stain the old leather.

"Stop it, I'll buy you two more" Jack snapped pulling at his shirt as Caden clung to Henry and Kolt, the two friends crowding around him to comfort and protect. Henry let go of his human features to hiss as the strange men moved through the room to check the windows were secure, his loyalty intense.

"Good boy" Ianto huffed through his pain, "Good boy Henry. Shield."

A scream started in the courtyard outside, high pitched and desperate as Jack looked up from his work on the shoulder.

The Panther had found itself some food.

Ianto looked over at Yvonne who rose, a gun still swinging at her hip and she moved to look out at the corner of the courtyard.

"Not mine, not yours" she said sharply, "Red in his clothing."

Ianto let his head fall forward to Jack's shoulder as he let the pain go.

Safe.


	13. Chapter 13

13

Ianto was calming down as Owen arrived, his face ashen as he entered the room flanked by a bug and a blue tentacled thing that had Yvonne retreating away from it.

"It's OK, that's just Goffa" Ianto said distractedly, still holding Caden and the little boy seemed to have cried himself to sleep.

"I can get a better look without the limpet" Owen said and Ianto nodded letting Jack gently remove the limp child who whimpered and then settled as he felt his Daddy's warmth instead.

Owen swore softly, working quickly to fill the hole, "This should help with the pain as well, pain relief in the packing."

Ianto nodded and looked over at Alice who was sitting silently watching, her hands wringing her skirts.

"You OK love?" Ianto asked softly, "I am so proud of you, I watched you act bravely and help protect your baby brother. Well done Alice, I am so proud you are my daughter, what a wonderful woman you will be, how strong a warrior you will be."

"I was scared" she said softly and Jack looked over at her with a sigh, nodding.

"Me too" he said to her, "I was terrified. I would have died if you had been hurt, if you or Storm had been hurt I would have just died with the sadness of it. My darlings, my sweet darlings. Yvonne, well done. Nice to see you haven't got soft in that palace of yours."

"Yeah" she huffed as she sat and pulled Alice into her lap, "Glad to know I still have that killer streak. Pete be praised, I thought my heart was going to explode out of my chest when we were cornered."

She was fingering the pin on Alice's dress and looked more closely, "My Pete. This is an emergency pin, I didn't know you had one of these. That's why they came so fast."

"GrandTad gave it to me, it was my Grandma's. I knew it would bring the Security Team, did not want to press it and give in, ask for help but the kids were there it wasn't about my pride" Ianto said as he settled back on the sofa and Owen rose to give Mavis room, her clicking become loud as she demanded space to see to him and she placed a blanket over him, stroking his face gently.

"I'm OK Mavis love" he said as he settled more, "See to my babies please. Keep them safe love."

Goffa grunted as he moved from the room and Mavis swung to watch him go "He's angry that you were hurt and he wasn't there to protect you all. He is going to call the underground, find out what happened here. The plant is eating the man, he has nothing on his clothing to show who he came from, whatever is in his pockets belongs to the kitty plant, I not ask it to spit out."

"It was clearly an attempt on my life and there will be no identifying insignia" Yvonne confirmed, "The blast was directed at my viewing box, if Ianto hadn't closed the level we would all be dead. My darling babies, all …."

Yvonne rose and moved to the window her hands clenched into fists at her sides, "They would have known I would have the children there, the tickets purchased well ahead for two children. They would have known. I will follow this right back, I will not rest until the one who gave the order is kneeling at my fucking feet. I promise."

"I don't doubt you Yvonne" Jack said as he watched Ianto's eyelid grow heavy, "But if I find them first you will get a severed head."

"I don't doubt that either Captain" she replied as she turned to watch the pain meds kick in as Ianto slumped and Jack handed Caden to Mavis then he slid into the space next to Ianto, cradling him against him as Owen went back to work for real, pulling the wound back together as Ianto slept.

The sound of a large Transporter growled around the dome as its top dissipated to let it in, settling on the large grassed lawn. The men that stomped out were flanking Brigadier Jones who looked around and then down at the landing gear sinking into the lawn, "He is going to be pissed when he sees that."

He ordered his men to form a human shield at the edge of the dome, his little family would be watched now whether they liked it or not, from now on they were under the Jones Eye. As men set up their modular guard posts within sight of one another a fortress started to rise, outer gates being carried form the huge vessel as they locked down their new base.

He then moved with that confidence one with power could wield, entering and looking up as a bug moved across the ceiling. He followed it and as it entered the room to drop to the floor and offer the wash cloth he finally saw his grandson slumped unconscious against his silently seething mate.

Alice looked up from her skirts and slid from the chair, "Grandy, look what they did to Taddy. They tried to hurt us. It was scary and people were deaded with bits gone. A man had no face and Taddy had to cover him with his jacket so he would go away. It was gross."

"My brave princess" he said softly, "I heard you were fantastic and everyone thinks you were such a Harkness-Jones that you are already awesome."

"Really?" her face lit up as her pride overrode her fears, "I can be a warrior one day, Taddy said so."

"And you shall" he said softly, "you and your brother will be powerful. I will make sure of it."

"As shall I" Yvonne said softly, "My godchildren will be loved by those who can and feared by those who should."

The Brigadier straightened and nodded to her as they both shared a look of pride.

These children were protected.


	14. Chapter 14

14

Jack carried his beloved up to their room without aid, refusing to let anyone else touch Ianto while he was out of it. He knew Ianto would be horrified at his lapse and the thought of being so vulnerable so he allowed Mavis to take point even though it was not really necessary but he knew it would please Ianto to know she was close.

She was like a mother to him, Jack saw this now and it bought him comfort too.

She scuttled ahead to fold back the bedding, still angry and then she started to chuff in a low breathy way that had Jack hesitating. He had never heard them do this before.

"He will soil the bedding and be angry about it" she explained as she moved to the linen box at the end of the bed and removed a blanket that she spread over the bed. "Place him on this, then it can be washed later. Until he has washed off the blood and fear he will not be happy."

"No" Jack agreed softly, "Me either Mave."

"You tend your mate, I will tend our younglings. They be fine now" she assured Jack, her hand delicate and feminine as it patted his arm. Jack was always amazed at their cloaking abilities, smiling as he realised he didn't mind knowing it was really a claw folded in a clever way.

SOOOO not spiders.

He turned to find Yvonne in the doorway, nervously waiting for permission to enter their private quarters.

"It's OK, you can come in" Jack said as he sat to remove the shoes of his sleeping mate and Yvonne slid in to sit and look intently at Ianto's face. Jack glanced over and as surprised to see her dismay as she watched Ianto's had loll to the other side as he moaned in his sleep.

"He's in pain" she said softly.

"No, Owen has doped him to the gills. He's dreaming" Jack said as he dropped a shoe, "He'll punish himself, torture himself with all the ways our children might have been taken from us."

Yvonne leaned back and shook her head, "I may be doing that too."

"Yvonne, I need clearance" Jack said without a second thought as Mavis re-entered the room with bedding in her arms, pausing to watch Yvonne rise to face Jack.

"You were Red Carded" she said with a frown, "You know you can never go back into active duty."

"Yvonne, this may have been an attack on you but it became an attack on my family. My life. Besides, I am only Red Carded on Boeshane. Need I remind you that I am not on Boeshane? I am Welsh now, down to the Jones at the end of my name. Jack Harkness was Red Carded for excessive force. Jack Harkness-Jones is a free agent and either you give me clearance or I will go rogue and do it without your help." Jack said calmly, "Choose. Either I do this under the mantle of the Agency where you can clean up after me and take the credit when the heads roll or you can look the other way and claim total immunity when I make a mess."

"Captain, you know I will never turn my back on you or this family" she sighed.

"I hoped you would say that" Jack smiled as he stepped closer, "Yvonne, you are family too. We love you, this attack is an attack against my family, all of my family including you. They wanted your attention, they gained mine and if they really want to know why I was called the immortal Man they will find out. By Pete, they will meet the immortal Captain."

"You have my blessing and full support" Yvonne smiled as she looked at one of her best assets, "You are right. You were Red Carded for the Boeshane Clusters. This planet has no idea what I am setting loose."

Jack waited, his gaze shifting to Mavis and the other bugs who had gathered on the hallway to listen.

"With or without you, I will tear this world apart. I have resources you don't, I have a drive that is endless" Jack said with his chin jutting out, "Come on Vonnie. We both know how this will end."

"Yes" she straightened up, "Captain Jackson Harkness-Jones I hereby reclassify you as an Active Agent of the Torchwood Time Agency, Cardiff Division and give you clearance to any and all the assets afforded you as an elite member of my force. I give you clearance level …"

Jack raised an eyebrow and she smiled.

"I give you Clearance Alpha"

The bugs exploded from their frozen stances, rushing from the level down to the lower levels, their own soon discovering the new developments and those responsible for the attack on their benefactors would soon learn that they had not only mistakenly injured someone who was more important than their target, but their actions would have repercussions that might change the entire future of their bloodline.

The Captain was at the helm and the high seas were brewing.

Jack was heading into the storm.


	15. Chapter 15

15

Ianto stirred and opened his eyes to find Rose sitting by the bed with Caden in her arms.

"Hey" he said softly, smiling as his son struggled from her arms onto the bed. "Come on stinker, into the bed with you."

He was soon snuggling his baby as he watched Rose rise to open the blinds. "What time is it?"

"Almost noon" she replied, "Jack said he had to do something and took off in that sleep hopper of his, two bugs with him in broad daylight not even bothering to cloak. What the hell is going on?"

"I am sure you heard about the bombing" Ianto sat up gingerly, grimacing as his shoulder bit, "We are OK just a little shaken."

"And the blood all over your clothing?" she asked with that glint in her eye those Harness arseholes get.

Ianto snorted as he poked his tongue at her and she giggled.

"Aunty is right, Taddy is yucky" Ianto said as Caden looked up at him adorningly, "My beautiful boy, wanna help Taddy have a shower and get clean?"

Caden wriggled from the bed and waited with glee, not usually allowed to help like this.

"Go start the water, nice and hot for Taddy" Ianto said as he pointed at the bathroom and Caden took off with glee, Henry exploding from under the bed like a pet dog. Ianto jumped and then laughed softly "Bloody hell, little bugger."

"Come on, let's get you clean" Rose said softly as she helped Ianto stagger to the bathroom, his soft curse as he found himself with less strength than he had expected, "I think your Doctor Harper gave you a patch for some prolonged pain relief behind your ear."

Ianto reached up and felt a small patch like a plaster, resisting the urge to pull it off as he let Rose adjust the water, then he smiled softly, "sorry missus, just us men in here now. Tackle and all that flying about."

She giggled as she retreated and Ianto groaned as Henry helped his trousers and boxers fall, then Ianto watched the bug clamber to the sink to reach for his top, pulling it off easily and handing it to Caden who looked at the blood with horror.

"In the rubbish love" Ianto said softly, "Yucky."

"Poor Taddy" Caden said softly, looking up and seeing the terrible bruising on Ianto's shoulder. Ianto knew if he turned to get in Caden would see his back and the entry wound, the terrible bruising where the shot did not exit traumatic enough for a child to see so he gingerly backed in, letting the water kiss the wound first.

He held back the grunt of pain as he smiled reassuringly at his son, the bug scampering around to gently wash the blood away from the wound and click.

"Does it look well sewn?" Ianto asked and the clacking reassured him that it did not lopk at bad as he thought and he finally turned so Caden could see.

"My Taddy got hurt" Caden whispered.

"And Uncle Owie made it better, clever Uncle Owie" Ianto replied as he let his head fall back so the water cascaded over his head and shoulders, the red water around his ankles finally turning translucent once more.

"Taddy why do people do bad things?" Caden asked.

The bug clicked at him and Ianto grunted his agreement, "Yes Henry. Not just people. All things can do bad things, it is a choice isn't it. The people who tried to hurt us made the wrong choice."

"And now the will be sorry" Caden said softly as he looked at the bug behind Ianto with open anger, "Right Henry? Now Daddy will smite them?"

The bug clicked it's agreement.

"Where is Daddy by the way?" Ianto looked at his son as he turned the water off and the little eyes slid to the side as they did when the little one was considering his answer.

"Aunty Evie and Daddy went off" he finally said, "Daddy and the click-clacks went to see someone and Aunty Evie went to see someone else. They were all angry. Sissy is with Mavis doing her dancing and I was waiting for my story time."

"Really?" Ianto said with a raised eyebrow "You want a story in the middle of the day?"

"Yep" he said with glee "You are not busy right?"

Ianto laughed softly, careful not to jar his shoulder as he let the children help him pull on the PJ bottoms he liked for bed and after a moment he decided not to wear a top but to let the shoulder breathe.

"Come on then, one each" Ianto finally said, "Go choose."

The children raced out of the bathroom, the bug in the lead as it climbed the ceiling and missed the obstacles his best friend had to negotiate and Rose looked up from the bedding she had been folding back, "I hope you don't mind, I knew you would like a protective sheet again."

"Yes, thanks" Ianto smiled as he walked over more calmly then before, his strength returning as he felt more himself now.

The boys retuned with a book each, settling in the bed and Ianto began to read, Henry hooting with glee as his was chosen first. Willy appearing from Caden's pocket to listen as well.

Funny Bugger.


	16. Chapter 16

16

Ianto was watching his son sleep cuddled up to his bugs on Jack's side of the bed when he heard the door open and he looked up, expecting Rose or Mavis. He did not expect his mother who did not come to this level in daylight hours, her face pale as she peered in at him, "Can I enter?"

Ianto was tired and an ache had started as the patch wore off so he really couldn't be bothered arguing, "Yes."

She entered the room and got her first look at his injury, his shoulder uncovered as he sat back in the pillows, slightly curled so the injured side was not holding weight. The bruising was now stark after the hot water and time, his pectoral muscle now angry and deeply coloured.

"Oh Puppy" she gasped and the shock of his old pet name shook him, his face showing it as she chose a seat and he was glad only Willy saw it as he schooled his features back to bland before she looked up.

"I will survive" he finally said and she looked across him to the little boy, her face softening as she nodded at him.

"Lovely wee man, he has such a sweet voice" she smiled, "The buggers all love him so much."

"He has a way with creatures" Ianto agreed, moving in the bedding and grimacing as that shoulder bit again.

"You're in pain" she said with horror, "Can I help?"

Ianto stared at her silently, the unspoken memory of other pains she ignored making the air thick. He waited a couple of beats and then took a deep, shuddering breath, "It's only pain. Not something dangerous. I've felt worse."

She looked at her hands, then asked the hard question, "Does your father know?"

"I don't know and I don't care" Ianto said firmly, "I am glad you came today, Stormborne tells me that you visit him at night to cover him and kiss him goodnight. Also, Alice. Thank you for that, I know you missed out with Rhia's two, I will not begrudge you these two. It will be Alice's birthday soon, I would like to invite you to her party."

"oh"

"We have the Parental thing at her school and then the next week will be her sixth birthday" Ianto's face softened and she saw her little boy in his features as he smiled, "She is excelling, top of her class ya know."

"Well, her reading skills are amazing" she agreed, "Such an adorable little lady."

"I worry" Ianto sighed, "The thought of them hurt or lost…it scares me."

"Your father and I had a terrible fight when you were small, he had taken you on an uncloaked Hoper, a new model that was a prototype. I was so scared, one of the few times I was more scared of the danger to you than the sound of his hand hitting my flesh." She shivered, "He had damaged it and was in trouble, so angry. He forgot. After all the dust settled he forgot all about my anger. I waited for weeks for him to attack me but he never did."

Ianto considered the answer to give and in the end gave a truthful one, "He took it out on me instead. That night was the first time he… hurt me."

There was silence as they regarded one another and she frowned, "Puppy? Who did this to you?"

"I don't know Mama."

"So many things have happened, the attack at the car park, the mall the other day and now this?" She sighed and Ianto looked up from petting his child's hair, "What do you mean…the mall?"

"This woman was following us covertly but I knew the signs."

"Looked like a larger version of Alice?" Ianto asked with growing alarm, "Same gap? Same hair?"

"Oh my Pete, it was her mother" she finally guessed, "She was so calm, so normal walking behind us."

"How often do you take my children from the security shields?" Ianto asked.

"I always take security with me, I did promise you I would" she bristled, "Two or more cloaked bugs always come with us depending on if it's one or both children."

Ianto watched her leave to get Alice's snack ready for her return from school with Rose, wondering how long Gwen had been tracking his children and creeping around. He felt a chill running along his spine as he thought of something his mother had not listed.

The bomb.

Had it been for Yvonne at all?

Or had Gwen been there too.

Ianto picked up the Vid-com and made a call, making it short and sweet as he laid out his thoughts and fears to the one he knew would listen without comment, consider and look into things silently.

As Ianto settled back to enjoy his little boy's snores Mainframe came on line, her soft hum becoming a low drone that had people in Torchwood and Unit facilities turning to look at the air conditioning as she started to bleed though the wiring, the coms, the airwaves.

Mainframe sought an answer.

Mainframe sought a truth.

Mainframe sought Gwen.


	17. Chapter 17

17

They were eating tea, Ianto's mother both delighted and shocked to be sitting next to Alice who was overjoyed as she talked to her, telling her all about the book she was making at school, drawing the pictures herself.

Ianto heard her talk about a dog as the main character and remembered the little dog they had got her once settled only to lose the poor wee thing when a courier came to deliver a package and ran it over, barely missing the little girl who it was chasing.

Ianto remembered Jack's grief and anger as well, the first time they had the 'my child' fight. By Pete that had hurt and as a consequence the dog was never spoken of again. A slight. Ianto hadn't realised she was missing a friend because of his hurt.

 _Childish he scolded himself, petty._

"Cariad?"

"Hmm?" Jack looked up from his plate.

"I want to raise a discussion after tea in my Rumpus Room please" Ianto said and Rose giggled, slapping a hand over her mouth, then gasping as a ping initiated a Vid-call to screen.

Gray was there, "Hey. Interrupting?"

"Not at all" Jack said happily, "You travelling?"

"Already. Yeah, we are swinging around the third moon now" Gray smiled, "I've missed you all. I can't wait to get home and get a big cuddle with my favourite boy and girl."

"Yes well, I hope Caden gets a cuddle too" Ianto said cheekily and Gray roared with mirth.

"I have missed you too Ianto" he smiled, "Too long this time. Thank Pete the Treaty is almost signed sealed and delivered. This time next week I will be at that table with you."

"That will be grand" Ianto said happily, then he canted his head, "So, that break away element seen to?"

"Yeah, the rebels were chased off planet. Made their empty threats about bloodlines and stuff then took off" Gray snorted, "Funnily enough, guess who their ship was Captained by Jack?"

"Who?"

"John Hart" Gray chortled "I almost shat myself when I saw him, he recognised me straight away and started asking questions. Knew about Alice, asked after her too. Was shocked to hear you had remarried, asked if she was a looker. Showed him a pic of the two of you, he went so damned pale."

Ianto had stopped eating and frowned as he realised there was another element he hadn't considered, then he knew Jack had thought it as well, the anger thrumming.

Mainframe hadn't spoken yet, or if she had it hadn't been to him.

Ianto then felt his gut drop as he turned to face Jack, the voice whispering in the back of his head getting stronger as it finally occurred to him that he was not the only one working on the problem.

"John is fine, I've already talked to him via vid-com after he spoke with you" he was saying to Gray's image, "Not his style. You know he is more likely to come at you himself, straight to your face. John doesn't do covert, his impulse problems makes that too hard. No. I've ruled him out."

Ianto rose, patting his mouth with his napkin, "I'll be in the room waiting Cariad."

He let his hand rest on the back of Jack's neck for a moment and then left the room, Gray watching him go, "Is he OK?"

"His shoulder is giving him pain, he doesn't like to admit any weakness" Jack sighed, "I've not known someone to hide pain like he can."

Ianto's mother looked uncomfortable and rose, "I think someone needs their bath now."

Two children started to argue and she shushed them, "Well maybe you should share then. We can use my big bath then, in my quarters. Your Taddy had one put in that is like a wee pool."

The kids scampered off and Jack bid his brother a safe journey and then went through to see what was troubling Ianto, his anger raw in the room, and his touch.

Ianto stood at ease in the middle of the room, his eye following Jack as he entered.

"You wanted to talk?" Jack said as he sat in his chair.

"Gwen. A past subject from our careers who seeks vengeance. John Hart. My father?"

Jack blinked, "huh?"

"The bombing. The first attack against me was the parking level with Caden. Again at the concert. Jack, who is the target? Me? You? Yvonne?" Ianto had another thought, his voice softer and uncertain "Cariad?"

"What?" Jack asked with a frown as he sat forward.

"Each attack is on me? I was supposed to be behind the children and Yvonne with you, not in front. Caden was to be in front. Think about it, is this something we have been looking at all wrong? Gwen has been following Mother and Alice for weeks. She has got close enough for mother to recognise her without ever meeting her. Think about it, she could have harmed her then. Not Gwen. John? Too far away. Someone from our past? Mainframe is still looking but all of my files are closed, as are yours. I know you are active, I smelt the gun oil. No. I believe the target is not me or you."

It's not Yvonne." Jack said, "I've ruled her out too. You know who the target is Tiger?"

Ianto sighed as he knew there was only one possibility left, he didn't like it but Jack had to see.

It's Caden."


	18. Chapter 18

18

"What the hell are you talking about" Jack spluttered with confusion as his brain started to rearrange the little subject cards in his head, the images flicking and changing as he saw the different pattern starting to emerge.

Pete on a Harley.

"Why" Jack asked, after he had agreed it matched his information, "He's just a baby."

"I was considering that" Ianto finally sat, giving Jack equal standing once more, "I need to go back through records, his family. We assumed they died because of the storm. But why were they out there? I need to look into the Vertish Family name. I am now getting more and more convinced it is Caden that is being targeted, we are just in the way."

"So the attack in the car park was him too" Jack surmised, "He kept attacking you because you wouldn't let Caden go. It was not an attack on you, it was a kidnap attempt?"

"I thought so, but then the bomb. If we are assuming the bomb was him as well, then it was not so simple was it. No. Not a simple snatch and grab, this is more final. I think they tried to take him and when they found him well protected which would have been more apparent in the way we reacted they decided it would be easier to simply eliminate him" Ianto rubbed his face then grimaced as his shoulder complained, "Alice has been our with mother without a problem, Gwen not withstanding. Caden is seldom out of the shielding and never without a bug unless with me. It was their only chance to try."

"And fail" Jack rose to pace as he thought about it, "We have two choices here. We can hunker down and wait for it to pass…"

"It won't. They've invested too much now Cariad" Ianto said softly.

"Yeah. So we bait them."

Ianto nodded and looked to the corner of the room where movement startled Jack and a bug slowly unfurled to approach them, it's strange markings confusing Jack at first before he realised it was painted.

"Show him Henry" Ianto prompted and the Bug showed Jack how much he loved his friend as he changed and malformed himself.

Caden looked at him.

"Pete on a stick" Jack whispered with awe.

"Walk, show him" Ianto encouraged the bug that walked around the room, Caden's swagger recognisable.

"He can't speak of course and he cramps so he can only hold Caden's form for a few minutes at a time but it is enough to fool someone" Ianto said as he nodded and Henry unfolded to become himself once more, "Well done Henry love, that was magnificent. I am so proud of you."

"So…trap?"

"Yes my beloved Captain" Ianto smiled, "Seems that they need a wee lamb to follow, he can bring them to the wolf."

"You are out of the game" Jack scolded, "You are injured."

"Says the retirned man. I know she lifted your Red Card... And our son is in danger" Ianto replied calmly, not at all annoyed by Jack's sudden anger, he had expected it.

"Mainframe, Tosh, the bugs…who else have you roped into this?" Jack had let go of his anger and now amusement had begun as he saw his Wolf sliding around in the shadows while he had stomped around in broad daylight taking the attention off those shadows Ianto was working in.

A team without even knowing it.

"Yvonne?"

"I've not spoken to her, I want you to do that. After all, you are active, not me" Ianto replied, "Franks and Markill. From the car park, we need to know if they knew each other, why Franks was there that day. Was it a simple accident of the first attempt to snatch or harm Caden? Markill, was he just security? Let's start from the beginning, follow the leads back until we have a name. Somewhere in the ethos there must be someone pulling all these strings."

"Agreed." Jack sighed, then as he rose Ianto made a noise on his throat to show there was more so Jack settled again.

"Alice."

Jakc frowned.

"I think it is time to let her choose another pet" Ianto said softly, "Pepper was sad, horrible and traumatic yet look at her life now. She does love the bugs, you know she does but not like Caden does. She needs someone as special to dote on as Caden does his little friends. It's time. Time to look at those things we promsied and put off."

"Does that include the baby" Jack asked with the calmest face imaginable, yet Ianto smiled as he knew Jack was a coiled spring.

"Poor timing perhaps but Rose can be well protected here, she is starting to be courted and I don't want her wed and waiting for us to cash in. Yes. I want to start trying for that third child now" Ianot smiled, watching Jack explode from the chair, punch the air and then pace as he tried to calm donw.

"How?" he finally was able to speak without crowing.

"Old fashioned way first?" Ianto shrugged, "If she is agreeable, we give her some of my spunk while it is still warm, she uses a turkey baster and we cross our fingers. If after a few attempts it seems not to work we look at medical help."

"Yeah, yah" Jack was pacing again, "Do we have a baster thing? Where do we get one, I wonder what sizes, ew. Bad image."

Ianor relaxed and then sealed the deal, "After all Cariad, you will have to milk me a few times I guell."

Jakc swung to lok at him with open glee as he realised the invertation being laid out.

They just had to talk to Rose, see if it was OK.


	19. Chapter 19

19

Ianto considered and then did one of the few things he never thought he would do. He came clean to Yvonne. He sat in his office as Caden danced outside in the hallway with some bugs and his human friend who was getting ready to go home. Yvonne sat so still and silent it was like she had shut down, the Terminator theme coming out again as Ianto struggled not to show amusement at her form on internal assessing.

"His family were poor, we don't know how they got the money to be in Boeshane, a benefactor from somewhere. The rest of the family are scattered to the settlements, too poor to afford the star-flight needed to bring them to safer harbours." Yvonne finally said, watching Jack enter with the child in question under his arm. "I have ordered a trace of the money but so far we have nothing to go on, no idea who had bankrolled their entry. Why? You thinking Caden is involved somehow? He's not even born at this stage, by Pete, she was barely with child when they entered the… what?"

Ianto had stood, his book he was fiddling with thumping on the floor as he stared at her, then turned to Jack, "What were we talking about earlier?"

"A dog for Alice?" Jack said and the little gasp told them Caden was listening so Ianto smiled and leaned over.

"Go on then, you go tell her" he crooned and the little boy took off, his wee toddler legs pumping as a bug scuttled after him with equal glee.

Ianto looked at Jack, "No, the other thing. The Rose thing?"

"Another baby?" Jack said with surprise and Yvonne gasped this time. Her hands clasping together as she looked at them with her own glee.

"Think about it Cariad" Ianto said softly, "They had no money, they had to escape the settlements and the Strangles. Suddenly she is with child, they have money and even as she was dying she was begging for the baby to be saved. She never asked about her other son. Her husband died with their only born child?"

"You don't think he was theirs" Jack said slowly as he started to get it, "You think she was a surrogate? They smuggled the baby in? Maybe the 'Husband' was the handler? The child with them might not have even been hers either."

"Yes, like the drug mules" Ianto nodded, "We know he is not human, not completely right? Whatever he is, someone else knows it and now he is a threat to their little operation. They couldn't' retrieve the evidence so…"

"They eliminate it" Jack huffed, "By Pete, you're right. Shit. Vonnie?"

"Sounds plausible" she nodded as she rubbed her hand across her mouth, the distasteful thought of Caden's origins angering her, "We need more tests. We need to know what our little dumpling is made of, the best way to protect him now is to have knowledge. Knowledge is power."

"Yes, please look into what you can under the Torchwood Umbrella Yvonne. There might be other children, there might be other mules that entered at the same time" Ianto nodded his agreement, "Whatever he was, he is ours now and we will fight to keep him safe. Whatever the cost."

"It makes sense, more sense now that they were out in the storm" Jack said as he leaned against an occasional table and looked at the books stacked there, "We did wonder why they hadn't taken shelter, a young child out there in that chaos."

"They were using it as a diversion, running from their handler maybe? Or the 'Handler/Husband' was trying to help her?" Ianto said, then swung to Yvonne who was nodding. "Were they being pursued?"

"Already thinking that too, we need to know who else died with or near them" she answered "This goes back further than we first thought."

"Caden's DNA is the first key to unlocking this" Ianto said with growing confidence, "Henry will confuse them, we take him out for some quick jaunts so they think we are not on to them, then we set a trap."

"Mavis and Aria OK with this?" Jack asked, then jumped as clicking alerted him to two large bugs in the doorway as Mavis and her sister agreed that this was the best idea.

"Right, well we have a Parental Evening to prepare for Pete save us" Ianto sighed, "Alice will be excited with the promise of the puppy and this evening. Yvonne, staying over? You still have your things in the Gold Room. Maybe it will help convince her to stay home when we need to use Henry for the next few days. No doubt she would give him away, not being able to stop from giggling at him. I dare not explain what is happening or her mothering will make it impossible to solve this."

"She does have her Taddy's heart" Jack smiled as he placed a hand on Ianto's shoulder, "You have raised her so well, made me so proud. I am blessed."

"Oh Cariad, to please that whinging little rat faced bastard and his Japanese goddess you … and I will be forever grateful that we loved them enough to humour them" Ianto stepped into his arms and let him hold him gently, his shoulder going to be a real bugbear during the black tie event.

Damn it.

Jack's lips on the shell of his ear did help though.

But a few more kisses might help.

For medical reasons.

Honest.


	20. Chapter 20

20

She looked like a little princess.

The Audrey Hepburn thing was working for her, the jet black so sweet. Ianto had let Jack help him dress, foregoing the sling for a pocketed waistcoat he could slip his hand into in order to keep the shoulder immobile.

"OK?" Jack asked softly as he showed his concern and Ianto's answer was a soft kiss, letting his affection flow as Jack gently threw the black cape around Ianto's shoulders. Lighter than a coat and less likely to drag on the injury.

"OH WOW!" Alice gasped with glee, looking at the handsome parentals kissing like newlyweds, their outfits completely black like hers. Ianto knew what Yvonne was thinking as she saw them off, her two once top agents looking like the killers they were.

Still are.

Caden's laughter drew her to his room where he was pulling at the tent he wanted as two bugs fought over another one in the large cupboard.

"Look here you heathens!" she scolded, "You can all have a tent, come on. Let' set up the ball room like Daddy and Taddy promised, maybe that picnic tea will be ready soon."

She helped them build a campsite and even a fake fire out of coloured cellophane and she felt a stab of pleasure as Caden declared her the bestest at it. Yvonne rose to look out at the darkening sky, the guard posts brightly lit and the fencing now sporting tazer wire, reassuring her that no one could enter this property without detection. The shadows moved close to the house and she knew the bugs were watching as well, a second line of defence that were both hidden and deadly. Such a relief.

Everyone saw the Jones Security Force entering ahead of the family to line the walls of the auditorium and it was slightly intimidating to see them enter, like bloody royalty. Ianto hated it. Ianto and Jack watched their daughter glow at the event, cruising around the large buffet style dinner accepting people's well wishes and giving her little smile of acceptance to those deigned worth it.

"She looks at their medals" Jack whispered, "Look at the wee minx. She checks their chests before she lets them kiss her hand."

"We taught her well" Ianto sighed theatrically, "Look for money or status."

Jack snorted softly, turning his head to kiss Ianto's forehead in a public display of affection, revelling in Ianto letting him as he leaned into him and shied from those who approached too close. Jack could feel his pain as the shoulder thrummed. He wished he could take Ianto's pain for him, the idea of him hurting on such an auspicious night upsetting for them both as he knew Ianto wanted to drink champagne and eat the little finger foods that always amused Jack.

"Captain and the Wolf" a voice purred, both of them turning to find John Hart approaching them with a slow swagger and cheeky grin. "Look at you, so handsome a couple."

"Hello John" Jack said softly. "How the hell did you get past the security checks? No, don't tell me."

"Hello Johnty" Ianto said with equal calm, Jack's shock showing as John's childhood name was used.

"Well, this is a shame. Both of you so fuckable and me only here for quick offloading and resupply" John pouted, then his face changed as Alice skipped past him.

"Taddy, look. They have beets carved like flowers" she gushed and Ianto looked down lovingly at his child, "Can you do that?"

"Yes love, I can do radishes for little ones too" Ianto assured her, "Next wet day we will have a little play with some vegetables, OK? Apples are great too."

"Oh they would be" she gushed, then presented her cheek for Ianto to lean over and kiss, his pain hidden from her as he complied and watched her race off before grimacing.

"You're hurt little wolfie" John said softly, his frown deepening as Jack whispered quickly and he learnt of the attack. "But why, I mean … pulling your chain is like deciding to stick your face in a barrel of Gerdorf."

"Exactly" Jack agreed, "It tells us they are dedicated to eradicating our son, maybe the other remaining toddlers too. John, if you hear of bounty on any toddler can you please pass it along? They might even be related to Caden, part of his gene pool."

John looked between the two men and saw the affection there, the bond strong and smiled, nodding his agreement to do so as he looked again at the little one he had once been asked to take with great force, glad he turned the mad cow down before explaining to her who her husband really was. He knew it was not Gwen behind this, her horror as he had described how Jack had killed and skinned an agent who had turned on them …. Not necessarily in that order …. ensuring she would never challenge Jack. Now he saw the sweetling he knew he had made the right move in saying no.

As she turned to flash him a smile he couldn't help but smile back, then wonder about the little boy.

If what they surmised was true, he was in danger.

Such a rare crossbreeding was not only illegal, it was forbidden.

If the Shadow Proclamation decided this was too much hassle they would simply destroy the children themselves, the idea of it alone scaring John. Ianto and Jack would fight to the death to protect him, he knew this without even meeting the child, the love when they spoke about him making it clear that he was their chick.

Typical cuckoo.

John bowed politely to those he passed as he moved quickly through the room, his cape waiting for him and as he entered his travel pod he glanced back at the brightly lit building with growing fear.

After all, he was a cuckoo too.


	21. Chapter 21

21

"Right, we have three other women on that same flight that were obviously with child" Yvonne said as she settled in a chair and made a happy noise as Jack handed her the large brandy.

"Babe?"

"Shouldn't with the pain meds and…ah…. Yes please" Ianto smiled, accepting one as well before Jack poured his own and sat on the arm of the chair, Ianto's arm resting on his leg in such a display of affection that she couldn't help but smile.

"We are chasing down the leads, there was no child with her on the flight, her 'husband' sat beside her and reports are that he was also attentive to another of the pregnant women, the other two had their own handler" Yvonne informed them.

"So, they knew each other from the start. Could be they were related, he was helping her do this to get her safe. Siblings? There was affection in the way she looked for him at the end" Ianto considered, "If he chose to sit with her then there was something there, correct?"

"Agreed" Jack leaned across the back of the high backed chair and the image of a loving couple was complete, not even realising how handsome they were. "Also, her family thought them a mated pair, they signed Caden to us remember? Mote now right? He is our legally no matter how he came ot be here. They might have been able to claim him after the storm but they waited too long, also hadn't counted on us."

"Of those three women, we have found the traces of one" Yvonne sighed as she leaned back, "Morgue."

"Shit"

"The baby?" Ianto asked, knowing the answer.

"Long gone" she sighed, "Signs of a full term pregnancy and the doctor tells me she probably had several."

"Two and a half years, a long time to hide" Ianto frowned.

"Yes, we are still hopeful that we can trace the other two" Yvonne assured him and Jack nodded as she turned her head to look at him, "And we think we found the transporter the child came in on, it came after her. A week later. It looks like you were right, it was not her child. Another woman brought him in, the handler that met her at the terminal was clear on the CCTV, it was the same handler that died with the child."

"Oh boy, I feel sick. There are babies out there that were pets, chattels or worse still pawns" Ianto swallowed, "How many people are looking for children they paid for that disappeared in the storm? Oh Jack."

Ianto turned and laid his head against Jack then closed his eyes, feeling the warmth and comfort as he breathed him in, Jack's hand gently stroking his hair as the urge to hold him almost had the shoulder hugged before Jack remembered his pain.

"It's OK" Jack crooned, "Tosh and Mainframe are on it, if she can think it, Mainframe can do it."

"The DNA" Ianto turned to Yvonne, "It comes back to that. Maybe the other drop in Caden is traceable. Those babies might have been treated for something … their Strangles shots? Birthed by a professional , if they were registered their DNA was filed."

"Yes!" Yvonne rose and reached for her purse and the PDA within, sending Tosh the idea.

"Now I want to go to bed" Ianto sighed "I am done."

"Come on sweetheart, I will give those feet a massage" Jack offered with a soft tub of Ianto's neck and Ianto hummed his acceptance as he rose.

"I just want to check our wee chicks" Ianto said as he started for the west wing first, determined to check his daughter and Jack followed, the sound of laughter assuring them that she was still awake.

"Hey Ali" Jack said to alert her to their entry and she shrieked as she dove into the bed, the bug following her large enough to fill the other side as it giggled too.

"Well now, do I have two bed bugs here do I?" Ianto smiled as he sat and leaned forward to kiss her goodnight, unable to hide his pain now as he groaned softly. Another kiss for the bug.

"Oh Taddy, your poor shoulder" she sighed, her hand reaching out to stroke his face, "My poor Taddy."

"Ahhhh, so much better now" he smiled at her, "You always make it better angel face."

"Taddy, you should have worn your arm sling thing" she scolded softly, her face one of concern as she looked over at her father for backup.

"Bad people were there along with the good" Jack explained, the No Lie Rule in effect "IF they knew Taddy was hurt they might think it was a good time to challenge him. He had to pretend to be fine so everyone knew he was able to protect you. His star."

She looked at Ianto who nodded and she frowned as she asked, "That why Henry is playing 'Storm' all the time?"

"Yes love" Ianto confirmed, then changed the subject, "So, a puppy? Decided what you want or will you go to the pound and see who seems to call to you?"

"Yeah, I wanna go pick" she nodded, "See who seems to fit me."

"Well, once we sort things out, we will all go and you can choose a new family member" Jack said as he gently helped Ianto to his feet, "Now let's go check on Stormy."

"Taddy? Thank you for dancing with me with your shoulder hurting" she called softly, her face sad as she now knew he would have been hurting the whole time.

"For you, I would dance on broken glass in bare feet my beloved" he assured her lovingly, "Best night of my life."

"Really?"

"So proud I didn't feel anything but joy, all night" he assured her and she snuggled down as Jack whispered softly how pretty she had looked.

"No lies." He said to Ianto as they exited the room.

"No lies" Ianto confirmed, "It went numb during the speeches and the dance was fine, it's now I'm winding down that it's starting to hurt again. Come on, let's go check the snoring camper and go to bed. I need to be held by my big strong Captain."

Caden was snoring half in and half out of the tent, Willy sitting happily on his head sleeping in a nest of the little boy's hair.

Mad buggers.


	22. Chapter 22

22

Ianto watched his GrandTad pace the perimeter of the living room, something on his mind and so Ianto waited for him to formulate his question, whatever it may be.

"So. Caden" he turned slowly to face Ianto, "He's a little cuckoo"

"Of course he is" Ianto replied without blinking, "Why else would he look so much like me and Jack when he was born looking different?"

"So you knew."

"I…suspected. Didn't care. He is mine" Ianto shrugged, then grimaced as his shoulder complained at the movement.

"Still hurts."

"Still stating the obvious?" Ianto's eyes danced as he baited the old man and a huff of amusement slipped out before the Brig could school his features to a scowl.

"Cheeky shit."

"GrandTad, Rhiannon has…well the board really, has demanded a meeting" Ianto decided to take charge if the old man was going to circle Caden like that, "I would rather they came here as I do not want to go out there. When I am healed we will do our dance with the devil, until then I intend to stay here with my lovely wee chicks. Besides, it means HE can't come in then"

Caden looked up from the floor with a look of adoration at his parental, then went back to his little game. He was playing cards, like solitaire but was clearly making up the game as he went along, even scolding himself when he decided he had something wrong.

 _Aunty Evie does that._

"You always were calm" his GrandTad sighed as he sat, finally letting the room settle. Caden started to sing, his sweet high pitched voice soothing as he started to gather up his cards.

"Where is my princess then?" came a soft question.

"Behind the sofa there watching you" Ianto replied proudly, "Been standing there the entire time and you've not noticed her."

The Brig turned and looked at the lamp, finding the little girl standing there leaning against the wall with her eyes gleaming. She wore dull clothing and was almost totally blended in the shadow of the bookcase she was standing beside, the lamp in front taking your eye from her.

"By Pete" he laughed, "You little horror. Wow, I really didn't see you and you are clearly there!"

"Clever sausage, isn't she?" Ianto laughed, "She is perfecting her stealth mode. Quite good, clearly has her Daddy's clever ways."

"And her Taddy helps her no end I bet" came the laughed reply.

"Taddy and Daddy are taking me to get a dog" Alice slid to the sofa and into his lap, "I get to choose."

He frowned, and then looked at Ianto, "Wanna take the smaller Jones Transporter? I would rather you were not skimming in a hover, height might be safer. I can have it delivered today."

"Thank you GrandTad, that would be nice" Ianto smiled, "I really should get us one I suppose. Flying at the third level is so safe compared to the ground traffic these days."

"Sweetling, when are you going to get it through your skull that Jones Consolidated is partly yours now? You own 40% of the entire stock base" the old man sighed, "Your sister and her cohorts want you to tell them you are stepping aside and letting her remain in your father's chair. They are panicking like little children that learn the candy is running out. You are the major share holder as the other eight would have to all work together to overthrow you, with me and my 20% they know that will never happen."

"I assume so" Ianto canted his head and smiled softly, "Of course I don't want the chair, he sat in it after all. I allow Rhiannon to be there since he agreed to retire. His 5% he had left doesn't give him enough strength anyway, she only sits there in my name now, whether she knows it or not. I do want more control over my money though, my accounts should be separate to the business. I don't care what they do with their money but my monthly credits need to be locked down so they can't be utilised by anyone else. Especially my father. As for Balmoral … I want that back. He is still letting that…woman's family live there. I want them gone, I want the castle back."

"Your mother, she seems to have been accepted by the children" he decided on another topic, "Has she spoken to you about him?"

"Only that she was terrified, didn't know what to do when the mistress was moved in and stayed out of fear. He told her that if she left she would die. I do not doubt that, he threatened me the same way, but only if I told anyone what he was" Ianto didn't raise his voice and continued to speak calmly but little hands stopped shuffling cards as Caden looked over at his sister who was looking back with equal silence.

"I have forgiven her for what she allowed him to do to me, as much as I can and accept that she was terrified of him, also beaten down into silence" Ianto rose and walked out the window, looking out at his garden, "If I could feed him to the Panther Plant I would."

"You are so much like my dear wife" the Brig sighed softly as he deliberately let the comments about Ianto's' childhood pass. After all, who do you think really pushed the bastard into retiring and finally relinquishing his hold on Ianto's fortune. Who do you really think Rhiannon went to with that memory stick for clarification. No. No need to speak about something done and dusted. And quite a dust up it was, for an old man he was as surprised as anyone to find he could still whoop arse. No. The boy wanted to act like it was nothing, so be it, "Her passion. You even have her nose, slightly elevated so when you walk in the rain a little drip runs down the side."

"I love that drip" Jack said as he entered and kissed his daughter before ruffling his son's hair, "And that nose is divine."

"Stop it" Ianto scolded, his eyes narrowing as he leaned in for his own kiss. "My only drip is you!"

"Never, I will always love that nose" Jack said as he settled on the floor to pull Caden into his lap, "And Storm here had the same nose. Just perfect."

Ianto smiled as he bit his tongue.

Of course he had his nose, same as his Daddy's brilliant smile.

Lovely little Cuckoo.


	23. Chapter 23

23

As Ianto had hoped Alice was too excited about the prospect of getting a dog to notice Caden had Henry with him, let alone that he was a cloned version when cloaked. Caden wore a onesie with the hood pulled up turning him into a Gerfillen Beetle complete with fake muzzle full of teeth, the purple fur and clawed hands plus the fake arms for the extra feet making the boys giggle as they both pretended to be something else.

To someone watching it would appear Caden had his human friend with him in dress up, it would never occur to people they were seeing a bug as a human and a human as a bug. They two of them thought it was extra funny, making noises like twits.

Ianto was ignoring it as a god parental does who is pleased they are not fighting. Alice was in dog mode.

"A black one? Maybe a white one this time. Is that racist?" she suddenly turned to her father as he flew the Transporter, immensely excited as well as he piloted the small vessel in the upper reaches of the third level, the Jones insignia flashing to push other fliers to one side.

The pound was clearly in panic mode as the Transporter touched down on the landing pad, Ianto quietly reminding the children to wait until the Captain told them it was safe to undo their safety harnesses. Although they scoffed that they were safe as houses and hadn't needed them, they had all clipped in for Ianto. Henry hooting softly at the first ever trip in a real spaceship.

"Alright pumpkin" Jack said happily, "You are with Taddy, you two maniacs are with me, we will hang back as it is her decision, OK?"

Both boys nodded obediently as Henry shifted into Caden Mode, reaching for Jack's hand as the purple beetle giggled and reached for his other and they followed the excited girl who was pulling Ianto back and forth to each cage as he gamely hung on to her.

As they passed a cage Ianto seemed to hesitate and then look back, a frown as he looked in and then glanced back at Jack who walked over to peer into the dark. Whatever Ianto had seen it had annoyed him no end and Jack saw why as a snow white Fuzzy Fenja stepped forward and bowed politely, looking at the bug who waved back, his Caden Mode slipping momentarily to show solidarity to a fellow bug.

Jack turned to find a staff member, "Oi! Come here!"

Jack soon had the creature released and he demanded to see their paperwork for all 'inmates', hoping this had been a simple case of mistaken identity and the Fuzzy Fenja, 'call me Flicker' was happy to return to the transporter with the children with obvious relief at having been recognised as a free creature.

Alice started to squeal and Jack ran to see what she had chosen, pleased to find the beast not only larger than the little lap dog she had lost but also fully grown and hopefully trained as it lunged at the bars in an attempt to get to her.

"This is a security model" Ianto said mater of factly as he inspected it's clip board on the cage.

"Yes sir, slated for destruction. The handler was killed in action and they are notorious for one person…" the staff member's voice petered out as Ianto calmly opened the cage to release the dog, roughly the size of a small pony. It was chocolaty brown and shaggy, some sort of alien mix that was more like a bear than a dog.

Alice threw her arms around it and crooned that it was her baby now and the 'dog' sat to accept affection.

"It clearly states that this was a Crowd Control Animal" Ianto said to Jack, ignoring the protesting staff member, "This fellow was of the Royal Council Security Team. No wonder it can't be re-issued. They only accept commands from their handler. Shame. Can't work now."

Jack watched Alice croon and kiss the huge face the glee, "Well, retirement is preferable to destruction. We were allowed a spot in the sun, so should he."

"It will not do as it is told" the staff member advised.

"As ordered" Ianot corrected, "You can't order it, only it's handler can and he is dead. You can only ask. Alice, try some commands and we shall see if he allows you to handle him."

"Come on fluffy. Sit!" she said and the beast did so.

"Can you shake hands sweetie bum?"

Of course each request was met with a confirmation and both men turned to the staff member who saw he was outnumbered now. Ianto smiled "I am sure there is no problem here. You could always ring Director Hartman, after all she will be happy to sign off on her Goddaughter's decision."

The paperwork was not needed apparently as the beast lumbered into the Transporter and took up three seats, it's head resting by Alice with adoring eyes drinking her in. It knew she had chosen it, saved it and also knew she was delicate. A baby. A pup.

Caden didn't care.

He had a new friend, Flicker was fluffy too.

Ianto sighed as he saw the family grow.


	24. Chapter 24

24

Ianto was sitting in the garden when he felt movement and he turned his head, calling out with alarm as the Panther Plant started to swing and it heard him, pulling back at the last second as John Hart squeaked with horror, plastering himself to the ground.

With everything that had happened it was bound to happen sooner or later and Ianto found himself laughing hysterically while trying to help him off the ground, too winded to speak.

The bugs that had heard him yell came running and now it was John's turn to yell as the fist bug pinched him on the arm hard enough to draw blood, forcing him away from Ianto who could only wave a hand to placate them as he leaned over and brayed with mirth.

Then came Fluffy.

The bark was more of a sonic boom as he bore down on them, the door still swinging off a hinge with Alice running after him, Caden and Henry falling out the door out last with wide eyes and a great deal of clicking.

"Stop" Ianto finally managed a word, "OK, stop."

"Gee thanks Wolfie!" John snarked, rubbing his hip that had also suffered a painful nip.

"It OK guys, this is Captain John Hart, code name Blade. He used to work with Jack, it's OK" Ianto was giggling now, his hand covering his mouth as his eyes danced with merriment and John found himself grinning back at his old friend.

"Look at you, all emotional and shit" John snorted. "You have let yourself relax."

"Johnty, curse in front of my children again and I shall remove your tongue!" Ianto said with his smile fading.

"Ah. There he is. The Wolf. In there all along eh?" John smiled softly now, stepping forward, "So. I smell a cuckoo"

"That's me" Caden said "I's a windy woo in some bits."

"Ah, the best bits" John knelt, "We are a rare lot, like jewels we are. Hello precious, I'm party Windy woo too. I couldn't help myself, heard all about how clever you were. Look at you. My oh my."

"Run along kids, Johnty and I have things to talk about and that doggie just crashed something inside I bet. Go clean up the mess." Ianto stood and watched them, "You know where he's from then?"

"Well, after our talk I went hunting as I promised I would" John rose and smiled at Ianto "there was a facility advertising designer babies that suddenly fell off the grid. I assume this is them. I found to active leads and followed them, ne came back to here. Seems New Cardiff has one living here."

"No" Ianto frowned, it made sense, "Who?"

"Calls himself Mangler or something" John tried to remember, not having the recall a certain Welsh Wolf had.

"Manger. Billis Manger" Ianto snarled, "He came up in the paperwork for the security agent that zapped me with Caden in my arms. A previous employer. I saw the name on the paperwork but nothing else, at the time I wondered but it seemed such a small mention on the resume. Huh."

"Yan, you do know this means it is likely there are more children out there with Caden's markers" John said softly, placing a hand on Ianto to calm him as windy woos can, "Maybe a brother."

"I never understood you" Ianto sighed, "So vicious with your Colonial Blood yet that touch of Windy Woo makes you so damned cute. Like a sweet toxin."

John laughed, not the least insulted by the apt description, "A spoonful of sugar to make the medicine go down maybe."

Ianto snorted, "Let's not start quoting the old classics to each other, it drives other people crazy." Ianto laughed, "Johnty, are you OK?"

"Yes." John sat and let Ianto look closely at him before believing him. "Did you tell Jack about us?"

"No he didn't" Jack said behind them and he watched Ianto light up as he turned to greet him, not showing discomfort or shame in being found with John. It comforted Jack who already knew deep down Ianto was his love and vice versa.

"Johnty and I met when my parents took me with them on a diplomatic post" Ianto smiled, "Two years, wasn't it?"

"Close to it" John leaned back and closed his eyes, taking the sun and trying to ignore the Panther Plant as it bent down to scent him, "two little weirdoes. That was us."

"Yes" Ianto snorted, rubbing his face and then sighing, "Tired. Staying for the evening feast?"

"Thank you Yan, I would love to" John smiled, "not many cuckoos about these days, we are communal creatures ya know. Would be nice to eat with another."

"Caden would like that too" Ianto nodded, "I read your file and saw that Colonial Bastardry in you, please curb it around our babies."

"Of course" John nodded, "I will always respect the house of a friend. Well, friends. Couldn't believe it when I saw you together. What a pair."

"Yes" Jack finally smiled, "Perfectly matched."

John looked at Ianto as he nodded, "Well, us strange birds are hard to deny, aren't we Yan."

Ianto canted his head and Jack finally saw it.

Ianto's gentle and graceful ways, his vicious twist when needed and insanely accurate brain.

"Ianto?" Jack whispered, "Are you part cuckoo too?"

"Don't be silly Cariad," Ianto snorted and Ianto relaxed, then Ianto canted his head again, "Of course I am not. I'm a Jones. Everyone knows we have Bladesinger DNA in our past, like a great, great something."

"Huh?"

"We are like…cousins or something" Ianto shrugged ad John nodded his agreement.

Jack stared at his enigma of a mate and realised that he already knew. Somewhere deep down he had known he was wed to an empathic creature with the power to commune with other species.

How else could he talk to a bloody sentient plant?


	25. Chapter 25

25

Since the revelation that his mate was MORE than your average man Jack had found himself watching Ianto move, seeing the dancer in him for the first time.

Ianto became aware of the overly observational mate and felt uncomfortable so he started evading him, something else new for Jack to learn as Ianto showed himself to be more elusive than their daughter. Rose arrived that afternoon for high tea and Ianto reappeared for Jack to watch covertly once more.

"What is going in?" Rose asked as she settled in the chair she liked in Ianto's room, watching Ianto fidget.

"Jack is engaging in too much 'Ianto Watching' for me" Ianto answered as he rolled his eyes, "I seem to be new all over again."

"Oh Ianto, you don't get it do you" she laughed, "To Jack you are always new and shiny. Even with a few years under your belt together, he is still waiting for you to turn around and tell him you have had second thoughts or something."

Ianto considered and saw that she was right, his touches always questioning. Gwen had hurt him so much hadn't she? He sighed and looked to the doorway moments before Jack appeared, looking furtively at them "Any news?"

"No" Rose said sadly as she had been waiting for this question, it always seemed to be Jack that couldn't wait to ask, "Sorry. It didn't take again."

"Damn" Jack sighed as he flopped into a chair, "For what these sessions cost I was really hoping for something by now."

Ianto felt a flare of anger, rising and nodding to Rose, "I appreciate your offer and that you keep going back to the clinic each month. It has been three and we all know the doctors said it could be up to six attempts before they admit to needing outside help with insemination."

"Ianto, I am committed" Rose said softly, "I really am but Cali had started getting serious."

"Cali. California?" Ianto canted his head, "A militarial, right?"

"Yes, he is to be retired now, sooner than we had thought" she sighed, "Apparently his hearing suffered in battle and they had declared him legally deaf. With the surgical implants he can hear again but they are no good in battle. I have explained about the surrogacy and he is supportive. The idea that he may have to wait a year is hard but two? I just…I don't know."

"If the next one does not take I think we should push for the artificial mixer instead of waiting for another two failures" Ianto said, "We can't expect you to give up so much of your life just for us."

Jack rose with a look of confusion, "I didn't think it would be that long, two years?"

"Jack, there are nine and a bit months of pregnancy, then she has to recover from the birth, get her body back after the baby has wreaked it and breast feed hopefully for the first few months." Ianto sighed, "If she falls in the next one it will still be a long time that we are asking of her. She cannot marry with another's baby in her, his people are Halgerots. They would want to absorb the baby into their culture."

"I am still committed to helping you" Rose said with that defiant Harkness jut of her chin, "I promised."

"I know you did" Ianto smiled softly, "This is not a failure, definitely not letting us down love. I have faith that a new life will come, it is something I see in my dreams. A little one with Jack's floppy fringe and my nose. I have faith."

Rose watched him leave the room and turned to Jack, "Stop following him, he is getting unnerved by it."

"I can't help it. Since learning he had a drop of Bladesinger in him I keep seeing it. The way he moves, songs, cants his head like a little bird listening" Jack sighed, "A cuckoo and a windy-woo. How can I be so lucky? What if they wind up getting a better offer? You know they love to travel."

"Stop it!" she scolded, "You will drive him away and he loves the bones of you!"

"Yeah" Jack leered making her laugh and slap at him.

"I'm serious. Give him some space, you have been together for this long and he was already one, right? What has changed? He hasn't suddenly become one, he was born one. It's only your perception that has changed!" she snorted. "If you had read his file as thoroughly as he read yours this would be a mote point. You know it was in there."

"I know, it's my problem. I need to get a grip, I know. But he is so wonderful. Our son is special and I worry about him, to find Ianto is an even rarer breed …imagine how sought after they would be to a collector" Jack finally admitted what the problem was.

"You fear someone might snatch them?"

"They already tried with Storm. I can't lose my little Stormy boy or my sunshine" Jack rubbed his face, "I know I am torturing myself and I need to get over myself, this is my problem."

Rose shook her head and hugged him as she tried to comfort and ground him, his emotions had always run high.

This thing with wee Caden had them all on edge.

,

,

,

For those that do not know what a Windy-woo is it is the common name for a species I created in my very first series called 'Bladesinger Verse' and the avatar I use in FF is a blue haired Ianto, the portrait of a Bladesinger warrior. You do not have to have read this verse to enjoy the introduction of them here but need to know in that verse if the love is strong enough in the bond is matters not if the mate is not Windy-woo too.


	26. Chapter 26

26

Henry was in Caden Mode, sloping along making a fair whining noise as he clutched the toy he wanted and Ianto found it amusing to watch his son glare at his friend from behind his bug mask. The store was pretty full and not all children were as polite as his making him pull them both closer as they approached the checkout line.

Both children placed their toys down, Henry overly excited as he realised Ianto was letting him have the expensive one he had wanted for like forever. Ianto handed over the credit card and turned to address the boys when he saw someone approaching and he sighed, not wanting this confrontation.

"Turn and walk away" he said softly.

"Where is she?"

"Gwen please turn and walk away. She is not here. She is at school" Ianto said calmly, "Now you get the third and final warning before I take action. Walk away."

"School is out, can't you see all the children" Gwen demanded with her voice rising, "You can't keep her from me, she is my daughter. I bore her, you stand there with some import you took from a dying woman, you had mine already but oh no, you needed another one…"

Ianto been shocked to inaction as she started to yell but Henry, bless his wee clickers, stepped forward when his best friend was spoken of in a mean way and he reached out, a pincer neatly clipping her skirt at the waist and it was so fast that only Ianto's advanced eyes caught it.

Gwen stopped her rant as her skirt started to fall, screaming as she clutched at it and Ianto sighed.

Laughter as security arrived and Ianto calmly removed his PDA to show them the paperwork as she continued to rage, now pointing at Henry and calling him a little bastard. Now, Caden didn't know a lot of things but knew when his friend was being spoken of in a derogatory way so now Ianto was forced to face palm as his son stomped on the foot of the loud lady in an attempt to shut her up.

"ASSUALT!" she roared, "That little bugger assaulted me, did you see…GERRKKKKKKK"

Ianto watched her writhe on the floor as the security guard held his taser with a disinterested air, still reading the PDA. He then handed it back, "Have a nice day."

"Thank you officer" Ianto smiled, turning to accept his card and they headed for the Transporter. So cool. Henry was the first to giggle, laugher starting as he mimicked Gwen fairly well, even making the 'Gerk' noise as he flopped about.

"Stop that" Ianto tried to scold but laughed so much that he had to focus on flying, returning home to watch the children explode out of the vehicle and race off to tell the other kids. No doubt Henry would be rolling on the floor quite a few times. Then he thought of Alice and he swore softly, going in search of her.

"Hello smelly"

"Tad! Look, I got more homework" she was excited, the extra schoolwork he had organised feeding her mind "I almost finished it already."

"Clever girl" he smiled, then sat and told her what had just happened, not being cruel or overly explanatory. She looked at him and sighed.

"She is quite mad, isn't she?" she finally asked.

"I think she is sorry for what happened, for what she did but there is no way we can trust her not to hurt you or someone else. She clearly has impulse issues" Ianto agreed, "I am sorry love."

"Don't be, I have two parentals who love me and will never hurt me. She was the one who cooked me, you are the one who feeds me" she shrugged with that logic he seemed to have instilled in her, "Caden and I are lucky. You are our mama. You love, nurture and protect. All we need, all the things she will not be"

"When did you grow so big" Ianto asked, "Your inside parts are so huge that they fill the room."

She grinned, "I didn't have a choice. You kept loving me and my heart had to grow to hold so much happiness."

"Argh, sappy" Ianto laughed pulling her into a hug, "My perfect girl. Always will be my perfect girl. No matter what, you are mine."

"Hey, why is Henry on the ground making a weird noise?" Jack asked as he entered Alice's room, looking back down the corridor.

"Gwen says hello" Ianto replied dryly and Alice giggled as she slid from his grip to go watch the silly bug. He made a great Caden and she couldn't wait to see what a bug getting tazed looked like.

"Are you OK? You look a little pale" Jack frowned as he stepped closer, pulling Ianto into his arms, "Your shoulder?"

"No" Ianto sighed, the wound now just a sometimes pull or bite and only hurt in the evenings if he had been overly active, "I think she just startled me. So busy with the boys and their little vice versa thing that she was right there before I saw her. Now I see what Mother means about her ability to step into your space."

"I'll call legal" Jack kissed Ianto and stroked his cheek, "don't worry love. It's time I enforced some of those court orders I think."

Ianto nodded and let the warmth of his mate wash over him.

The weird niggle remained.

He was still overlooking smething in the air.


	27. Chapter 27

Rose was waiting at the clinic, rising with relief as Ianto finally arrived, "Thank Pete, I thought you had forgotten."

"Are you kidding? Jack reminded me at least three times" Ianto panted as he settled into the chair next to her, "Couldn't get a bloody park for that big space whale of a transporter he insists I drive now."

"They seem to be running behind anyway, I've not even seen Owen yet" Rose frowned, "He is usually moving through here by now."

"Might have been an emergency, he is an efficient man" Ianto assured her then they looked up as the door opened and Owen entered with a face like thunder. Ianto immediately rose to greet him "Owen? Are you OK?"

"Pissed off" he admitted, "An unwanted pregnancy and failed abortion is no way to start my bloody day, ho-hey Rose sorry for the potty mouth."

"In this day and age, you would think that would be a thing of the past" Ianto said as Owen led them back to his examination room and they all settled. Owen started with the file in front of him.

"There is no reason for this not to have taken, it's just nature playing games while your body gets ready to do this" Owen said as he fiddled with the papers, then motioned with his hand, "Wanna try assuming the position?"

Rose stood and moved to the wall behind Ianto's chair and Owen pushed a few buttons, a ping telling her she had stood long enough and she sat again. This had been repeated at each visit and still her body was taking it's time, modern technology cannot trump mother nature it seems.

"So, your stats all look good, your body is clearly accepting the hormone zaps" Owen said softly, "Hopefully this is the last time we have to do this. I just don't understand, zaps that intense would make even the driest womb excitable."

"Maybe I should step out if you are going to get personal" Ianto said like he did every time and like every other time Rose shushed him with a pat to his arm, wanting him here every step of the way.

"Right, now we all need to sit while I turn on the image profiler" Owen said with a bored tone, "Ya know, do I really have to explain this every time?"

"Oh yes please Owen, your soft dulcet tones do such things for me waters" Ianto said dryly and Owen sniggered as the visitor chairs hummed softly, their internals turning on.

"Right, Rose is about to start ovulating as she should be, well done Rose pick a candy" Owen muttered and Rose reached out gleefully to swipe a lolly out of the dish, this also a standard action. This was getting old and Rose knew Ianto was as sorrowful as she that she hadn't caught yet, Jack's face each time they had to tell him making both of them feel like they had failed him somehow.

Owen was swinging in his chair as he tapped the screen and looked at Rose, "You know, you look fine. Maybe this next one will be the charm. Yeah?"

"Yes Owen, let's hope" Ianto nodded, reaching out to hook her hand and she smiled. Ianto then grimaced and she frowned.

"I thought your shoulder was not giving you much pain these days" she said.

"Caden slipped getting out of the bath last night and I grabbed him without thinking" Ianto admitted, "It will be OK."

Owen hummed as he clicked some more and then he seemed to stall out, his face going still. Not even blinking.

"Owen?" Rose asked with concern, "Is everything ok? Do you see something wrong?"

"No, ah…no sweetheart, you are fine. Tell you what. Ianto and I will discuss the next harvest and you go play next door in the nursery, I had a new arrival last night. A purple Gerbav, ever seen how cute their young are?"

She shot from the room and Ianto reached for a lolly, leaning back to look at his friend, "OK. Now she is out of the room, what is wrong?"

Owen regarded him for a while, then sighed, "You are part windy-woo."

"Yes."

"You have come for each and every session, sat right there as I activate the fertility wall to give her a boost." Owen pointed at the wall like Ianto might not know it was right there behind him like it always was. He always sat here after all.

"Yes."

"OK, and these chairs that my clients sit in measures their hormones, their fertility levels and adjusts that wall to compensate and help with the gestation but also they encourage the egg, the embryo and the life's first spark."

"Owen, I read the brochure like a good boy. Why are you talking like a robot?" Ianto asked, leaning forward, "What have you done? You feel the need to explain yourself?"

"Ianto, Windy-woos can have babies" Owen said slowly.

"Well … duh!"

"No, the males. Ianto, the males can breed together" Owen said, his hands shaking as he reached out to pluck up a lolly from the bowl, lightheaded.

Ianto sat back and cursed softly as he finally got it.

"Owen, was this entire bloody high tech fucking machine we sit in calibrating for me instead of her?"

Owen nodded.

"Well, shit. I need to step out and she needs to get back in here without me. For the love of Pete, we have to start from scratch?"

Owen shook his head.

Ianto stared at him with growing alarm.

Well.

Shit.

.

.

.

.

I was asked about Cockoos ... sorry i forgot to remind those who do not know my other stories that they are the race I made up for the Cockoo Verse which really is mostly explained in the second part, Nestling Safety, part one of that seires Armed and Dangerous deals with Ianto's Cyber arm and the arrival of Baby Heath. I have a habit of pulling things from other stories and totally forgot an explaination for those who do not read my stuff. Sorry.

An Alien race that sometimes places their children amongst other races, then the children mimic those they are wih, changing their appearance and eventually even their DNA to match their new family. As children they are easily identified but as adults they would appear as their adpoted family in every way.

So, I have combined two prevous Verse which is the Cockoo Verse and the Bladesinger Verse to see what would happen. Whith a mix of these two verses I can have more wriggle room.


	28. Chapter 28

28

Ianto drove home sedately and parked, watching Rose unclip and exit the vehicle as she raced to find the little boy she wanted to give some of the lollies to that she had snatched from Owen's bowl.

With a weary sigh Ianto walked to the dining room where Jack was already trying to set the table for their evening meal, laughing as the bug on duty scolded an rearranged the cutlery as he put it down.

"Hey babe, see this?" Jack snorted, "Apparently I am a cretin. What is a cretin?"

"Jack, can we have a moment?"

"Really, before we eat?" Jack swung to leer at him, "Why Mister Harkness-Jones you dog you! Hey, guess what!"

"Jack?"

Jack's leer faded, "What's wrong love?"

"Jack, Rose is not with child" Ianto said softly, and Jack nodded as he already knew that "Jack, the machine was working fine, it was just not working for her."

"OK, now I'm confused" Jack said as he pulled out a chair, "What are you trying to say?"

"Jack…"

"UNCLE GRAY!" Caden screamed with glee as the sound of a transporter echoed around the castle and Jack lit up.

"I forgot to tell you, Gray is home!" Jack leapt up with delight, racing from the room and Ianto sighed.

"Jack" he said to the room his husband had just left him behind in, "I'm pregnant."

The bug standing behind him almost dropped the rest of the cutlery with shock.

Ianto left the room and found Gray laughing as he scooped Caden into the air, the little one screaming with glee as he experienced flight, loving every moment like all chicks do. Then Alice ran over for her cuddle and Ianto stepped forward politely for a hug, Gray stepping back to regard him, "You putting on weight there skinny one?"

"Yes, Jack's force feeding has borne fruit." Ianto said with a frown as Gray stepped away from him to seize Jack in yet another manly hug, Caden looking at his Tad with silent interest.

Something was wrong?

They were soon back in the dining room and seated as they started getting served the evening meal and Ianto was quietly seething now. Twice he had tried to talk to Jack only to find himself let behind in an empty room, Jack's excitement at his brother's return making him flighty. Him. The one without birdie DNA. Go figure.

Ianto decided not to linger on it, this was not Jack's fault and he clearly couldn't focus right now. He would wait until later when they were in bed and could talk softly, hold one another and revel in their unique joy. Ianto could imagine Jack's face, the excitement would eclipse this moment that had him squealing as Gray presented him with a gift.

"Can't believe I missed your birthday brother" Gray said grandly, "Hope you like it. You like this vintage right?"

"Ah, perfect" Jack sighed as he checked the label, "We must have a toast right now."

Glasses came out and Jack pointed, "Ah, one more. There are four adults here thanks Bev."

The bug looked at Ianto and then reluctantly placed another glass, Ianto watching and realising they knew. Somehow the bugs knew. Ianto stared at the amber liquid that was so potent that some died from drinking too much.

"Here is to the return of my brother" Jack said grandly as he lifted the glass and Ianto reached for his to feign a sip.

"No, you have to slam it back" Gray laughed, "Like this!"

Gray whipped his head back, draining the glass and then choked, slapping at his chest as his eyes watered. Jack laughed and did the same, then they both turned to help Rose as she coughed and spluttered at the half glass she had tried, "Oh shit. Gross, you kids do not ever need to try this!"

Ianto grimaced and placed his glass down, "sorry Gray, I can't drink that much, my shoulder is still…"

"What?" Jack snorted, "come on, you are not on medications any more, slam it back love."

Ianto was suddenly irritated, "I am your mate. Your equal, not your little lady! Please stop with all the pet names, you know it irritates me when you act like the alpha!"

Jack blinked with surprise but Gray took offence, "Really? You do not want to drink to my return? Why? It was not your birthday I missed or maybe I did. You are so secretive I don't even know when it is, why do you feel the need to keep secrets from us? Your family?"

Ianto pushed his chair back to rise from the table, "Come on kids, if you are finished lets do your teeth and see about bed."

"Answer me!" Gray demanded, "What is wrong with you, you've acted off ever since I first hugged you. What is it."

"Rose is still not preggers" Jack said to Gray with a pout, "He is craving a little one and has the cluckiness of an old mother hen."

Ianto felt himself start to blush, the deep angry kind and Jack's smile faded as he watched Ianto come to the boil, his hand screwing his napkin into a ball as he leaned across the table.

"You are not my boss, you do not own me and if you do not stop acting like you are in charge of me and my destiny I will bloody well thump you!" Ianto snarled, "I am supposed to be your partner!"

Jack looked at Ianto with silent confusion and Ianto made a noise in his throat then picked up their son and stormed from the room, Alice following with her father's confusion mirrored on her own face.

Taddy never spoke like that.


	29. Chapter 29

29

Ianto was seething as he turned to find Jack entering the room behind him, Caden clinging to his Taddy to offer comfort as his hurt thrummed through their bond, his little face a mirror to Ianto's with a matching glare.

"What the hell is going on!" Jack demanded with growing annoyance, "No secrets remember? What is it?"

"What?" Ianto spluttered as he let his child find his feet, "I have been trying to tell you, you keep flitting off. How dare you accuse me of keeping something from you, I am not trying to be bloody furtive!"

Jack knew he had misspoken and grimaced, "sorry, I don't mean to sound like a shit, sorry love. I mean…shit. I am calling you that a lot lately."

"Ever since I was hurt, you have been wonderful with your affection but it is getting a bit cloying now" Ianto sighed, "Can we please just try and calm down? We have a chickie on the room."

Caden was looking from Tad to Dad with confusion and open concern as they never spoke with anger in front of him, even if he felt it thrum sometimes in the background. This was the first time he really saw Taddy's feelings hurting and it felt wrong. So wrong. He didn't like this. He moved closer to his Taddy and hooked a little arm around his big strong legs, watching his Dad as he tried to calm himself.

"Ianto, please. OK. I will sit down, let's sit. Tell me what is wrong and I will listen, I promise." Jack sat in a chair and looked at Ianto who settled on Caden's bed and held the little one in his lap, trying to find the words he wanted to say. Caden looked as him and then to his Dad and knew the problem as his little mind caught an image from his Taddy.

"Little" Caden said softly, "Like just a wee bit"

Ianto looked intently at his child, "Sweetling?"

"Yeah. A sweetling, just a little one" Caden was starting to get excited as he leaned away from his Tad and looked down at his stomach, the bond now starting to thrum with the day's zap empowering the spark and he recognised what this was as he became excited, "Oh Taddy. You have a spark! A promise. OH TADDA!"

Ianto felt the joy he had sought in his mate, his son providing the release as he slid from his lap and placed his tiny hands against his stomach, "Hello in there!"

Ianto reached out to stroke his little one's hair and grinned as Caden started to jig on the spot with glee, "Oh Taddy. You give another chicky. OH WOW I WILL BE BIG!"

Ianto laughed as Caden did a little maniacal dance on the spot, swinging his arms like he was flapping in fight, then he swung to address his Tad, "Is it a boy or a girl? Can you feel yet? Does it talk to you, can I talk it it? What will we do for a bed?"

"Hush, hush now sweetling" Ianto crooned as he hugged his lovely wee man, "I can just feel little tickles, too small to know yet love. I am only a couple of months or so in. We will have plenty of time for names and such, I don't think Sparky has chosen a sex yet let alone a name. OK?"

Caden made a noise, his hands fluttering and resting once more on the stomach of his lovely Tadda. "I am your brother, you have to listen to me. I am smart. You will be a boy. OK? We have a sister already and we do NOT want another one of those, so bossy. You will be my brother and we will be best friends forever like Daddy and Uncle Gray, OK?"

Ianto finally looked at Jack.

He was sitting stock still gripping the arms of the chair with wide eyes, no doubt going over dates in his head and Ianto smiled, "After the shoulder. When I was injured and sat in Owen's office. We think the machine saw my injury and responded but it was set for fertility for Rose."

Jack blinked.

"Say something" Ianto demanded, "I just found out today, I've not been keeping it from you."

"I just…this changes everything" Jack rose with a look of determination, "No more leaving the safety of the keep, do you hear me?"

"Excuse me?" Ianto squeaked with shock.

"Until this thing with Caden if sorted you are not to be out there where it is not safe, holy hells, you could have lost it at any time out there with the shit going on, no! You stay here where it is safe" Jack was angry now as he stood towering over his mate, his panic and horror at the realisation that his mate was now incapacitated as an operative giving him such a brain fart that he said it before he could stop himself, "That is an order!"

Ianto rose and stared his husband down toe to toe.

"Get out."

"What?"

"Get. Out. Arsehole!"

Jack went to speak but strong hands slammed into his chest propelling him from the bedroom and the door slammed shut as Jack finally realised he had gone too far.

"Yan?"


	30. Chapter 30

OK, one more and that's it!

.

.

.

30

Jack was sitting in their bed with his hands slipping one of Ianto's ties through his fingers when Ianto entered and he immediately froze, looking at Ianto with raw relief.

"I thought you might have stayed in Storm's room tonight" Jack admitted when he saw Ianto's questioning look.

"Jack, when have I slept without you since our bond?" Ianto asked as he sat on the bed to toe off his shoes, "no matter how angry I am, I will always seek your warmth when weary. You know that."

"I'm sorry" Jack blurted, leaning across to touch Ianto but he was already moving from the bed leaving Jack's hand clutching at thin air, "Ianto?"

"I am tired" Ianto didn't turn to look at him as he undid his tie and then snorted, "I wondered where the green one went, thought one of the bugs had borrowed it. They like to take our things to teach their young our scent ya know."

"No, I didn't know" Jack was surprised at this conversation and then he had clarity. Ianto was formulating still, needed more time to form his words so Jack sat back, "That explains that green shirt I like so much."

"No" Ianto said softly, "I burnt it, hate that colour on you. Makes you in yellow."

"It does?"

"Yeah" Ianto moved to the bathroom and Jack heard the tell-tale signs of bed prep, then he groaned as he reassessed, nest prep? He then watched his mate exit the bathroom in his PJ bottoms and slide into his side of the bed, the scar still forming on his shoulder nothing to the small pot belly that immediately screamed at Jack for attention. The zap earlier had woken it. Hadn't it.

"Can I touch you?"

Ianto looked at him again and then frowned, "Did she do that? Withheld? Why you thought I would stay away, not let you touch me? Is that one of Gwen's punishment methods?"

Jack nodded mutely, not wanting to talk about her, wanting better things in his life, things Ianto brought so freely and he had now been reminded were gifts not rights. Ianto realised this too, turning to face him.

"I had this image in my mind about this moment. Us in the bed, entwined and so in love, our bodies suctioned together with lust and longing or maybe we had made love because we couldn't wait to talk and now we lay so in love as I breathlessly tell you what has happened. Your joy and my satisfaction in pleasing you. Our celebration would be a kiss of longing, completion and affirmation. Instead we lay here with this void between us that may as well be the size of the room." Ianto sighed sadly, his hand reaching out to stroke Jack's cheek, "Cariad, I am glad he is home. I missed him too. I would never expect you to choose between me and your family, I would never demand your attention from him when you were so happy but you didn't even see me. His impulse control still needs tempering around the babies, here I am about to add another to the mix. I do love Grey but I belong to you. You belong to me. Everyone else is secondary to our bond, even the babies. You. Me. This. Without it all the rest falls away, flies apart like sparks on the wind. Do you understand? Please."

Jack had let Ianto talk and he felt the sorrow of the words as well as the plea so he leaned in to kiss and finally touch the small almost not there bump.

"This is not about her. Not about our babies, not even about the one you grow for me in such a wonderful way" Jack whispered, "I am your mate. I was disrespectful and an Arsehat as Owen would have put it. I was blinkered as usual and I am sorry."

"Fine" Ianto nodded, "Line. I do not want to talk of it again. Love me. I love you. End of."

"Deal"

Ianto crushed their mouths together, revelling in the taste of his love as their raw need to reconnect thrummed and Ianto moaned onto Jack's' mouth as he canted his head for more depth as if that were possible.

As Jack's hands slid below the band of the PJs and cupped those lovely arse cheeks that were so taught and full he again thanked the gods for their love, especially the one called Pete who some believe was a crotchety old bugger.

The bug collective relaxed as they felt the house settle and the love of their benefactors once again flowed through brick and mortar …. And that unperceivable thing that held it all together.

Fate.


	31. Chapter 31

31

Ianto hurried down the hallway cursing as he struggled into the jacket Mavis was helping him with and her soft clicking had him on edge as he swung outside the door to answer her, "I know. I did not welcome them either. Whatever this meeting is, it is both emergency and not bloody authorised. Try to get Grandy on the phone while I deal with this, yeah? Please Mave? Scold later?"

Since taking ownership of his 40% shareholding there had been a new level of respect and understanding between him and the board … well most of them. Of course the 20% of his grandfather helped with his status as the Brig placed that into his portfolio also, giving Ianto a tidy majority rule. Whatever this was, it was not going to be nice.

Ianto squared his shoulders and took a moment to let his hand smooth the front of the jacket, making sure the tiny bump was unseen before pushing confidently through the doors with a look of annoyance, entering to find the board already pouring drinks and plucking at the food laid out by hasty yet efficient bugs.

"Gentlemen, and ladies of course" he began to speak calmly, "To what do I owe this unscheduled visit? Please let's sit and talk."

Ianto went to move for the table and stopped as his father appeared from the huddle, heading for the chairman's seat with confidence. Ianto stood watching as the arrogant arse pulled the chair out and then swiftly slid into it before his father could, "Thank you Mister Jones, let us remember you have a meagre shareholding and should not even be here as it is not enough to sit."

Ianto then smiled disarmingly at the rest of the table as his father stood gaping then shot down to the end of the table to sit next to Rhiannon, her face one of shock to match his.

"Gully?" Ianto turned to a white haired man that had a stack of papers, "Please. How can I help you today?"

"We have heard rumours of another buying up some of our shares, those little part percenters are caving." He told Ianto, "we are concerned that someone is building a base of strength to gain enough to sit at the table."

Ianto's eyes slid to his father, "Yes. Those pesky little minorities."

It was not lost on anyone as his father bristled but it was Rhiannon who spoke, "I do not know why you keep up this nastiness Ianto. Daddy took care of us all for years as head of this table, you know he did. If you give him back the portfolio then his, mine, yours and the Brig will be majority rule."

Ianto frowned as he looked at her, "Rhiannon, me and Grandy already have majority rule. We are 60% combined."

"Rubbish" she snorted turning to her father "Daddy?"

"I have 40% shareholding" Ianto said calmly, "My grandfather gave me controlling interest of his 20%. This gives me 60%. Majority no matter who is trying to play games. Does it Mister Jones."

Ianto then turned to face his father, "Not 3% anymore, you have now moved up for a five percent haven't you? Congratulations Mister Jones."

The silence was deafening as the two men stared at one another, then Ianto's face changed, "You think he will leave them to you!"

Ianto's father looked away first, the question answered in that moment and Ianto snorted, "It is not up to me or you to decide what will happen when the Brig passes on. How dare you assume he will leave you everything, what if he chooses to sell his shares to enjoy a retirement overdue? What if he leaves everything to the Federation Fund?"

"You?" his father sneered, "Like he would leave it to you? Over me… his own son? You know that will never happen, after all you are probably not even mine with your mother such a disappointment! The clinic could have used anyone's jizz to get you!"

"My mother is not the one in question here when it comes to morals old man, let us not forget who is a paedophile at the table." Ianto smiled serenely, "Or do we need to play some of that old CCTV footage of you in my childhood room for the members?"

"I wouldn't mind if we put all of that in the archives never to be seen again" a voice boomed as the Brig entered the room and Ianto turned to watch his grandfather stalk into the room, "There is no need for me to be reminded that I have a child molester for a son, only the fact his own son is such a replica of me that I find some peace. Now I hear you openly challenging his parentage? Are you mad? Look at us. Replicas. Look. He could be no more one of my descendants if he were my direct son."

Ianto knew.

In that moment as his grandfather blustered and slipped… he knew.

"Mama used medical help right?" Ianto said softly, "Grandfather, did you help too? After four failed attempts at a son, being told she could only have daughters by my father …you had sons right? Grandfather? Did you provide more than money?"

The old man turned to face the youngling he had always loved so fiercely knowing the gig was up. Of course he knew, he had always known deep down that superior brain would work it out one day and it was a relief to see no anger or animosity in the youngling's face as he rose from the chair to approach.

"Did you help the DNA jump father's inferior mix by simply bypassing it? Did you provide DNA matter for the clinic?" Ianto's face had honest hope "Are you my natural father?"


	32. Chapter 32

32

"That is why there is less dilution in the DNA" Ianto said softly, more to himself than the rest of the room, "Why the Windy-woo was stronger than expected, huh."

"What the hell are you talking about" Rhiannon demanded as her father sat paling more by the minute as he watched his father lovingly reach out to touch Ianto's face.

"And the truth shall will out" the Brig whispered, "I am sorry child but your mother begged. She wanted a son so badly, to please him and stop his anger. Each time he learnt it was a female in her belly he…well."

Ianto blinked and looked at the Brig and then at his fath…brother?

"You had mother destroy the female babies?" Ianto asked with confusion as he looked over at the monster sitting at the table, "You…you only wanted a male? Four babies. Four little lives. You had her terminate them?"

As Ianto spoke his hand instinctively moved to cover his own spark and he felt an internal rage building at what his mother had done to please a man who was never going to be satisfied. "That is why there were no others after me. They would have all been female too, she knew you would have killed them all."

Rhiannon looked at her father with shock "But…but you love Micha. You love her."

"But she will never inherit" Ianto sneered, "Just as you never will. He is of the old blood, the old ways. A son to inherit. Not a daughter no matter how strong or intelligent. You … gods. You are not my father. Haha. Not my father."

"You are!" He swung to look at the Brig with open glee, "You are my parental. Strong, virile and brave. You are the one who gave me my strength of will. Not him, he is only a sibling, only background noise. Oh Grandy. No wonder I was always drawn to you. Wanted to be you. I am you. I am your clone!"

The Brig smiled as he shrugged, "Well mostly. There is a smidgeon of my friend in you, do you remember my assistant Lieutenant Jameson?"

Ianto snorted softly, "And there is the Windy-woo connection, he was a hybrid right? The two bloodlines with the same marker."

"Windy….you mean Bladesinger?" the Brig asked with surprise, "Well, yes. You remember his lovely blue hair?"

"Yes I do" Ianto grinned as it all felt into place, then his smile faded, "That's why I was drawn to Caden you see. Him being a Cuckoo. A wee chick in need of a nest. Grand….huh. Papa. I might have thrown to you on looks but your lover…he gave me a lot of himself also."

"Lover!" Ianto's fath…er…brother exploded, "Now you say he is a Nancy like you?"

Ianto didn't even turn as he grinned at the Brig and realized the words spewing from the monster's mouth had no power over him now. Merely background noise as his heart swelled with relief and joy, resettling into what he had always felt when in battle.

Peace.

"Security" Ianto said loudly, the hum of the mainframe listening coming on line, "Ifan Jones has been accepted into the security grid as an attachment to Rhiannon Davies. I would like that removed. He is not allowed to enter under any circumstances and Mrs Davies is to only enter by appointment. Please remove any and all contacts from Mister Jones' lists and block any and all communications."

 **YES IANTO**

Ianto then motioned the brig towards the door, "Come. I want to tell you something without others."

He led him to another room as the room they were exiting exploded with the force of a hurricane. The Brig settled on a chair and watched his beloved offspring sit next to him, his hands fluttering again as they did when he was a youngling offered a toy. Such a lovely child with an open face and loving smile, always polite and pleased to accept what he offered, be it an expensive toy or a simple hand folded paper plane.

""I don't know what to call you" Ianto said with a frown, "In my head I called you Papa you know. Always you were my Papa Brig."

"Was I little one?" he replied softly, "Was I?

"Papa. I have a spark" Ianto said with wonder in his eyes, "the Windy-woo from the two of you is strong in me as you both had the gene, you mixed in me. Gave me a little pocket here under my ribs. In here, a spark resides now."

The old man got the words, got the reason for his boy's touching his belly and he showed rare excitement as he scooted closer placing his hand over Ianto's "Really? A wee spark?"

"Yes, I am with child" Ianto said it, feeling the swell of ride as he did, his parental glowing as he looked down at their joined hands.

"wonderful."

"Yes" Ianto agreed, "It is."


	33. Chapter 33

33

Alice wanted to go to the bookstore for something and Caden made it clear he wanted to spend the day with his Daddy, the little desk Jack had introduced to his office a total hit, especially as Henry liked pretending to be a minion sitting there nodding diligently while pretending to take notes as Caden talked nonsense. Occasionally Jack had to end a call so he could laugh as Caden's wee voice boomed over his call, so sweet.

Ianto saw that it was a beautiful day and without the danger of having Caden in the vehicle he gave into her pleas for the Hover instead of the large and imposing Transporter. With the topless vessel skimming along the road Alice yelled with glee, her arms out and the wind in her hair as she showed her Daddy's love of speed. In a rare show of abandon Ianto throttled out and let the engine roar as they moved along the secure roads in the fast lane.

They got to the store and she was soon lost in a corner with a display of some unicorn … dragon… er… thing. Ianto settled in another corner to go over some classics, even finding a few Caden and his bugs might like.

They were at the counter paying when Ianto felt a niggle, something alerting him so he swung to see a hover careening towards the front of the store at top speed in a slow zone. Now some might think it would screech to a sudden stop so the woman behind the controls would laugh as her companion's fear but Ianto had his superior training and intellect that screamed in the back of his mind to move.

Ianto scooped up his daughter and swung her over the counter, following as he grabbing the small child that had been waiting behind him to be served while it's parental waited on the other side of the store.

The hover slammed through the glass frontage with a horrifying crunch and hit the counter hard enough for it to move the counter several inches. Ianto rose, the weapon in his ankle holster already in his hand and he fired before the glass had finished hitting the ground. The woman behind the controls didn't make a sound as her head whipped back but the man was returning fire as he slid from the side of the vehicle and tried to flee.

Unfortunately for him Ianto was not actually alone. Not really. The bug had been sitting in the back of the hover and then had slid into the shop, now she was attacking with extreme malice and the shrieks of the man were horrific to hear as Mavis tore one of his arms off, throwing it back into the stacks, then reached for him once more.

"NO! MAVIS!" Ianto barked, "I need him alive!"

She turned to face him, then clicked as she turned back, neatly severing the hand of the other limb.

Still alive.

Right?

"MAVIS!" Ianto yelled again, sliding over the counter and debris to reach her as she left the useless man to reach for her boy. Ianto fell into her arms and let her hold him for a moment, before pulling back, "Get her out of here. I don't want her to see, please my love."

Mavis did not want to leave him, not when he had larva in him but the little buggette was crying and she could not stand that either so she scuttled over the counter and took Alice out to the forecourt where a clump of bugs had clustered to watch the action. They immediately moved towards a fellow bug and surrounded the child she was telling them was her baban.

Ianto stood over the man with a calm anger, that cold kind that makes your stomach feel light.

"Who sent you?"

The man spat a mouthful of blood onto Ianto's shoe, then leered silently.

The loud drone of a Transporter filled the air, some covering their ears as it descended and Ianto glanced over to see his daughter still crying as she pushed the pin on her top again and again, calling her Grandfather to her.

The Brig was running, his face pale as he reached the child and scooped her up, looking for his boy and moving towards him.

"No! I don't want her to…" Ianto turned and folded over as he vomited, the smell of the blood too much with his hormones and Mavis was steaming back into the store with the other bugs to comfort.

The Brig had the whimpering, bleeding mess dragged back to his Transporter and as much as Ianto wanted to go as well he knew his stomach would revolt again. Besides, his daughter needed him right now.

Ianto watched Mavis doing something at the hover and as she turned to return to him he knew she had contacted Jack.

As they headed home with more bugs on board than a tick covered dog Ianto saw the Transporter taking off from their keep with a roar of its engines, then shoot over them heading for the Jones Militarial Base.

Ianto knew Jack would tell him what he and the Brig would discover.

Right now his daughter needed comfort.

And his shoulder was on fire.


	34. Chapter 34

34

Ianto expected a blustering Captain full of anger and reproach for being in a place of danger so he was surprised to find Jack not only opening his arms to embrace him as he stormed back into the house a short time later but his face was wet with tears.

"Come on dumpling" Jack crooned as he took his daughter, handing her off to Mavis and then pulling Ianto in for a proper hug, his hands soothing as they rubbed his shoulder.

"Ahhhhhh" Ianto moaned softly, letting his body relax against his love.

"Come on baby, sorry…I mean…ah…sorry" Jack was unsettled and it showed as his hands shook, pulling at Ianto's coat and settling him on a sofa. A bug rushed over with a heat pack for the shoulder and clucked softly as it smelt Ianto, its own nerves frayed as were all the bugs 'listening' to the upset in their hive.

Caden slid around the doorframe to see if things were OK, his little brain picking up on the discord and Ianto smiled as he saw his wee chickie, patting his knee for a cuddle. Caden settled there and hummed softly, soothing his beloved Taddy and the spark within.

Ianto heard the Transporter landing and his Papa entered the house totally ignoring the bugs as they swarmed the vessel to terrify the crew inside. The place was on high alert as if should be.

"Hello sweetling" the Brig said as he chose a seat, "Well, we have the name of the lab, we have a team moving in to sweep and destroy. I have given orders that any and all children found are to be removed"

Ianto looked at Jack, "Stay. Please, stay. I know you want to do and storm the place with them but you know as well as I that one look at those little faces and you will be filling this house with them. I would too. We need to focus on what we have."

The Brig seemed satisfied as well nodding as he rose to leave, "I will let you both know how we get on, sweetening you are so pale. Is the spark OK?"

"Yes, we are fine just a little bit freaked out" Ianto nodded, "I think a cuddle with my babies and I will be fine. Caden, go find your sister and see if she wants to come cuddle with us."

Caden nodded and slid off with Henry following sedately, his little claws clicking softly as the only sign of annoyance at all the people in their house.

Ianto settled in the bed and the kids piled in … yes Henry did too. Of course, he did.

Jack puttered about wanting to do something, worrying about the bed full of precious ones as well as his brain in overdrive thinking about ….ah. The sound of the large Transporter had him glancing at the bed to find his wee family asleep so he shot to the keep and watched the Brig appear, a little girl holding his hand with a look of wonder.

Caden.

Jack knew it was not Caden, knew it was another wee cuckoo who had been kept in isolation and was already changing to please with much more Cuckoo in her than Caden but he also saw Ianto in the little nose changing to a button, her little eyes drinking in her saviour.

"What have we here?" Jack asked, watching the man hesitate.

"It was an accident" the Brig said sadly, "I had the team sweep and then went in, this one was hidden in a back room. I tried not to look at her but…she looks so much like the boy. I … I was lax to leave…ah Yvonne."

Yvonne Hartman stood at the entrance to the keep with her jaw dropping, staring at the little one who refocused her gaze and Jack watched with fresh wonder as the hair lightened to a soft honey blonde, the little one's eyes widening with hope as she reached for the pretty lady she chose.

"Congratulations" Jack said softly, "It's a girl."

Yvonne looked at him as she picked the little one up and placed her on her hip, "What is happening here."

"This little DNA spliced sweetling has just decided she likes the look of you for a potential mama bird" the Brig explained, "You have accepted her by touching her. Its set, she now thinks she is yours. After her little life being full of darkness and despair, she expects a lot from you."

Yvonne looked at Jack who shrugged, "Don't look at me. I fell for Storm within the first few moments of his life. This poor little mite has been waiting for a long time to belong. She obviously never bonded, never settled into a DNA bond. You were just lamenting the lack of a family. Here you are. Instant daughter. How loved she will be. I have every faith in you."

Yvonne had finally accepted, finally knew now what had happened and she looked at the little one who looked so much like the Brig and Ianto…and her sweet Caden.

"Come on darling" she crooned "Mama thinks you need some nums."

Jack patted the Brig's arm and breathed a sigh of relief, "Ianto would have had that one."

"Says the man who was already working out how to change the rooms for her as he walked toward us" the Brig uttered back.

Jack's laughter was light as he agreed.

It was not lost on him that Brig had touched the child first. He watched the older man move quietly to flank Yvonne as his hand slid to her lower back in greeting.

Well, well, well.

Chickie did pick it.

Did Ianto know?


	35. Chapter 35

35

Jack found Ianto in his room.

Not the one others were allowed in, I mean his little room he had off the main reading one. Jack had thought it was just a storage room but as he entered it because glaringly obvious that it was a hoard room.

He looked around with wonder and cursed himself for not seeing his beautiful mate's heart before. A Windy-woo Hoard.

Ianto has been nesting for some time without even realising he was doing it himself. Their boning had woken that dormant DNA, of course a chick had eventually been produced. The colours were soft and the pieces of glass seemed to glow along the window sill as Jack walked around and appreciated the art in the placement of each piece, pictures formed of children laughing, flowers and then he saw his name spelled out along with Ianto's, the A a joiner. It was so sweet that Jack could only smile and reach out to gently touch that A.

"Cariad?" Ianto's voice was weary as he sat in the corner of the room, his arms full of little one and his eyes almost overflowing with tears.

"It's OK love, it will be OK" Jack assured him, "You Dad cleaned house and even found a little one who needed a home for Yvonne. She looked so smitten."

"Yvonne?" Ianto's face changed to soft delight, "Really? She took one."

"Yes, a little girl who clearly liked the proposal" Jack smiled back, "Your Dad seemed smitten too."

"Well maybe that will force them into the open. They might stop pretending there is nothing there, I mean he is old enough to be her father I guess but the affection is so raw between them. I think it is why she never had a child, didn't want to expose him. He was alone for so long after his lover died," Ianto explained and Jack nodded.

"Well, I see it" Jack assured him and he reached for Caden, "Come on Storm Boy, poor Taddy is tired and his wee spark is sad too."

"We need cuddles" Caden said with wide yet serious eyes.

"Yes love, I agree. The big bed I think" Jack agreed as he carried his son, allowing Ianto to walk without a fuss to their bedroom where he was not surprised to find Alice already in the bed with her hands clasped patiently, the middle left for Caden. Such a lovely wee mama to think of her brother.

They settled together and Ianto started to giggle softly, Jack looking over the heads of their children with a raised eyebrow.

"There was this weird little man in the store and when the crashing and banging happened, you know followed by the shooting and roaring…he just stood there. I thought he was a prop the way he just stood there in the same spot while the world exploded around him but then when I vomited he said "Ew" like…just that one word and I only just registered it." Ianto sniggered some and then said it again "Ew"

Jack laughed softly as he watched Ianto relax, give in to his moment of fear and let go of the horror of the day.

"So?"

"So, it's done" Jack confirmed, "Things are as sorted as they can be and the Brig has men pouring over all the paperwork and techs going through all the computer files so we can track down all the other children. It's not up to us, it will have to go to council, maybe even the royal chambers to decide the outcome. I would personally recommend those children in families be allowed to stay as separating them would probably break their little hearts"

"Oh for the love of Pete, I never thought of that, if they decide to round them up what happen with our little one?" Ianto's eyes widened as he clutched at Caden possessively and Jack cursed himself for bringing it up.

"Baby, we adopted him, all legal remember?" Jack reminded him softly, "They can't have him. I will watch and if they try to hurt any of the babies I will smite them. Promise."

"Pinky promise?" Alice demanded, her little hand shooting out of the covers as she reminded her parentals that she was there listening and Jack gently placed his small finger in hers, agreeing.

Mavis listened in the doorway with pride as her little ones all settled, above and below.

She moved away as there was still a lot of work to do and more larvae out there in need of attention, if it came to a war then they would be ready. In a world where there were at least four bugs to each human it would not be a long war, though it might get bloody.

Nobody had ever considered the bugs capable of violence, even if they did calmly control the populous better than the security force with their culling of those unworthy to breath the air of this planet and by daybreak every bug in the land would know this threat was imminent ….including those in the government lairs and royal palace.

They would reminded those they cook for, clean and protect that they have a voice as well.

They are hive.

All of them.

And those sweetlings settling in to sleep in the room she was now exiting were considered hive too.


	36. Chapter 36

36

The Brig sat with a wee cuckoo on each knee, the two talking excitedly as they clutched their wee hands together, beyond delighted to find a match in their DNA making them like siblings. His love flowed through them as he clucked his tongue and jigged them gently, hugging them and Yvonne sat with Alice on her lap pretending not to watch the display of affection the babies were enjoying.

Ianto entered and slouched into a chair, his hands rubbing the bump as he watched the two with the children finally relaxing. Finally there as a strange chirping noise and the children all perked up, looking excitedly at the door.

"Go on then" Ianto said softly and they shot from their respective perches then rumbled from the room like tiny elephants on the loose.

"What the hell was that?" the Brig asked with surprise.

"Mavis calling them for treats" Ianto sighed, "How she steals them."

"Cheeky girl" the Big laughed, "I remember Bennu wanting a little one for a closer look, he would make a noise like that and nine times out of ten it would come, it's parental as shocked as me. It must be like a dog whistle."

"Bennu, that's an old Bladesinger name, goes right back through the bloodline…Papa, how strong was his lineage?"

"By Pete, he was almost pure. One of the last of his kind to have such a strong dilution. Had intended to mate but…well. He fell in the great battle. I still mourn him. After Helen died I didn't think I would love again, that sorry excuse for a child she provided was such a disappointment to us both. Then I met Bennu and knew only happiness. He taught me that love does not die, only transforms. I am glad you know about Yvonne and me." The Brig smiled.

Ianto sat back and considered, looking at the children's toys on the floor, "I remember his blue hair, it was so pretty."

"Yes, I loved watching it in the wind" the Brig smiled, "Mind you, your hair has a blue fleck to it when you let it grow, you always cut it but as a little one your hair grew past your ears and it had blue tips."

Ianto stared at him as Jack made a crooning noise, reaching for Ianto's belly, "Maybe our wee one will too. After all, that wall thing of Owen's is supposed to enhance and strengthen the strongest of the DNA traits."

Ianto looked at Jack and he frowned.

"Jack … when did we start those sessions?"

Jack looked at him and frowned back "Ah, well. You and Rose went to see if she was fertile…ah …well. four months ago?"

"Four. Sixteen weeks." Ianto repeated softly, "I am more than that. I am about eighteen weeks, so when I went I was already a week or two in."

Jack froze as his mid started to whir and the Brig glanced over, "What's that boy?"

"I was already sparking, the wall might have enhanced things but I was already underway" Ianto reared, "Huh."

Jack rose and touched the corner of the vid-screen, Owen appearing with a look of surprise "Is everything OK?"

"Yeah, quick question if you are not too busy" Jack said and Owen grinned as he opened his arms to show he was doing nothing, "The scans and such of Rose, who else sees them?"

Owen considered, "Well, me and you obviously. I send copies to Mainframe for processing and what? Why are you pulling that face?"

"Owen can you check to see who has been accessing them?" Jack asked, "I want to know who had accessed, downloaded or tagged them OK? All of them from the first scan with Ianto in the room."

"Aye aye Captain" Owen said in a silly voice as he snorted and reached out to comply, the screen changing as he accessed mainframe.

"There!" it was Yvonne who called out, rising from her chair, "I know that name. Eisenhowt. He's UNIT, one of their little white coated freaks, always going on about the higher order. Superior solders and such created...what?"

Ianto had gone pale, his hand covering his bump as he stared at the screen, "I know that name too. The Strangles Screenings we had to go through. He was also there at Caden's second year check-up, I remembered his face and he was just moving though the facility so I didn't think about it at the time. The first incident in the parking garage happened what, five months later? Barely? He was at the police station. Oh shit. My instincts were telling me that they were after the baby, my brain was screaming to protect the baby. Shit Jack they scanned me for processing, I was already sparking. I was already with child. Child, get it? Protect the baby. I've been protecting the wrong one. He wasn't even with me at the store and Alice was not the one the car was aiming at."

"Wait, he knows about the baby somehow?" Jack frowned, "I don't understand, why try to kill you though."

"Bladesinger and human is a strong and dangerous mix. Throw in your Boeshane DNA and this child will not only have an intelligence of a super soldier but the heightened mix of stealth and telepathy." The Brig agreed, "Imagine a solder capable of reading the mind of the enemy as they charge? Anticipating not only their next move but see three or four alternatives before said enemy had even seen his one? Pete be praised, a super solder alright."

"But why harm it?" Yvonne asked with confusion.

"Because Ianto has Caden. A little chickie that can commune with the spark in a way Ianto cannot. He can call out the Bladesinger side and probably already has. If we check the DNA markers we will probably find a wee Windy-woo in there." Owen was excited as his hands flapped about on screen, "good Pete man. You are not only undermining his research by naturally creating what he is failing to do in the lab, Ianto you threaten his funding. Imagine if they find you have simply…birthed one. A real Bladesinger in this day and age. He would be finished."

Jack nodded and turned to face the Brig.

They had a target at last.


	37. Chapter 37

37

Owen watched the monitor until Ianto made a soft growling noise and he then reluctantly put the image on the vid-screen for all of them to see. The foetus was clearly visible, a little baby with finger, toes and…ahem.

"I knew it!" Jack said happily, "Another little boy. Oh wow, you said it might be. Oh now I have…"

"Cariad, if you are about to say one of each I will cut your throat" Ianto said calmly as he looked at Caden playing at his feet.

"No love" Jack assured him, not alarmed or unsettled as he knew Ianto was still upset and looking for any fight, "I was going to say, now I have to hurry that extension on the top level; for our own quarters then the baby can have our central room. If we build up, an entire level with the hover pads on top it will still work, even a rooftop garden?"

"Oh" Ianto said softly, "Sorry Cariad, that was rude."

"No sweetheart, that was protective" Jack reached out to rub his knee, "I love your heart and your backbone. Especially that little dimpled part where…"

"Stop it!" Ianto scolded softly, his face red as he placed his hand over Jack's.

"Well, I don't know much but I know that is a healthy looking little fella, looks a bit more advanced than first thought. Looks like this one is growing quicker, maybe due to the enhancements? Wow, looks healthy and a good size." Owen said as he examined his screen, "Ianto's long fingers."

"Well now, look at that" the Brig said softly, his hands clutched in his lap as he leaned forward, "such great imagery. You can see little eyelashes."

"Wow" Jack sighed happily, "What do you think Mavis?"

The bug had been standing silently at the back of the room and as her name was mentioned she rushed forward to examine the picture more closely, clicking excitedly.

Ianto laughed softly, "Yes, most definitely a little squish bean."

"You speak bug" the Brig said as he swung to face Ianto.

"Not very well, I can understand them but am not quite fluent. They seem to understand me though" Ianto nodded, "Such a wonderfully clever race, so funny too."

Mavis crooned as she told him she though he was clever and funny too.

Jack watched Ianto start to glow with excitement as he watched the one inside him move, grow and become.

"Jack?" Ianto said softly, "The bubba, I mean…I don't want it on another level to us, not when it is a wee chick. Caden stayed with us until his second birthday, I don't like the idea."

"What would you like then" Jack asked calmly, not wanting to upset Ianto.

"This new level sounds ideal, make it a full length of one wall, over Alice's wing I think so we can have the mountain views. Our room one end and the other end can be the nursery. Our old room can be for Mavis and her young. They live in the children's rooms anyway, might as well divide the rooms up for them." Ianto explained, "If we make the roof of the new section the hover pads then the entire length of Caden's wing would be flat level and we could turn it into a garden and maybe that infinity pool you dream about. Imagine, out own little retreat so the children can mess up the courtyard without me having a Dergolt as Alice puts it."

"Oooo" Jack looked into the distance as he imagined, "decking and some pathways, yeah. What a great idea. Simply let the middle level go to the children, humanoid and bug. Yes, Mavis is the head housekeeper, she should be on the main levels."

Mavis was frozen in place as she listened, her mandibles pinched together and Ianto turned to look at her, "What do you think? That new mate of yours that is so shy he turns white and scuttles off when I approach, could he survive the light up here?"

Mavis could only nod, her joy making her mute.

"Well, sorted. I will talk to the contractors today, some kitset rooms can be lifted and placed by the Transporters and hovers, I really like this idea, each section growing smaller to allow the light in. Also, means it will be finished before the wee one is here, a big room, an attached nursery, bathroom and wardrobe. I have ideas flowing" Jack was rising from his chair with his hands fluttering as he talked, "I see colour, light and air. Oh Pete, I have to take notes. I understand your list thing now."

Jack rushed off with a pen and pad, Mavis following to suggest things he might not realise a youngling needs as Ianto laughed softly, turning to his father. "Now he is preoccupied with pleasing me, you will sort this man will you?"

"Now we have a target we will proceed swiftly, in fact while we have been sitting here I believe Yvonne had begun the procedure, dear?" he turned to look at her and she had the good grace to blush as she held up the PDA she had been tapping quietly.

"Um, oops?" she said with a grin, "Yes. I am assembling a cleaner team and we will simply purge the building of him and his…stupidity. We are confident that this will be the last link in the chain to find the rest of the missing cuckoos and we can then proceed with hearings and formal decisions about the future of said babies."

Ianto nodded, "I want to be part of the debate process please, I feel I need to be a voice for these babies."

"Oh course son" the Brig said, revelling in the title he was now able to use freely, "I will insist the Jones Family have a say, after all the bloodline alone demands a seat at that table."

Ianto nodded as his hands traced a little foot.

The future in the palm of his hand.


	38. Chapter 38

38

Jack was in diva mode, complaining about the lack of colour in the samples and Ianto was quietly amused as he was the one with child yet his mate was the one in a moody battle with the contractors.

"Right" he said as he flew into the room where Ianto and Caden were cuddled, almost asleep in the sun as it blasted in through the large windows.

"Wha?"

"Come on, they have finished the first of the rooms. Let's go to the warehouse and see if it feels right before they lift and fit." Jack clapped his hands and Ianto struggled out from under the little boy who whined at the loss of comfort, then he hesitated and scooped the child up. Jack scolded "He is too big and your bump is starting to…give him here!"

Jack took the child and carried him like a baby in his arms, Caden's face lighting up as he placed his head on his Daddy's shoulder. They walked to the Transporter with the Jones Insignia then travelled to the warehouses where the prebuilt housing developments were, once finished each section is lifted and placed on the house that is built like large blocks.

Jack led Ianto to a large open hanger where the wing would be build in three stages. The first stage was their sleeping quarters and wardrobe. Second stage would be bathroom and nursery. The last stage the outside living area.

Jack watched as Ianto walked slowly around the huge room and then through to the wardrobe. Jack hastened to assure him, "See? This piece that not finished is going to be the walkway to the bathroom. The nursery will be on the other side of the room, it will have lots of sunlight, little ones love light, right?"

"Oh Jack, you have thought this through" Ianto smiled as he imagined a crib in the room, perhaps near the window so he could stand and watch the world outside the window while waiting for his parentals to collect him of a morn, seeing the clouds and the fields beyond the walls. Little hands against the glass as he coos.

"Babe?" Jack was concerned as he saw Ianto seeming to wilt.

"No, no" Ianto snorted as he blinked back hormonal tears, "I am imagining our son in his crib here by the window looking out on the world while we walk in to scoop him up with loving care. Sill I know but I feel life in this room already. Hope and a future of happiness. Oh Jack, those poor little chickies who do not have the same love. So not fair."

"Hey, come on. The committee is being formed and Lizzie has already assured us you will be at the table, OK? No chick already placed within a family will be removed until decisions are made and you are the best one to explain the need for them to stay" Jack assured him.

"I know I am being hormonal but the thought of Caden being removed from us tears at me even knowing it will not happen. The mere thought is horrible" Ianto let Jack draw him into his arms, "Father is being a dog about it, I doubt anyone involved will manage to wriggle off. All the rocks are getting turned over and I know his reports will be thorough."

"Jack?" Ianto whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Dance"

Jack grinned as he gathered Ianto and waltzed him gently around the room, the bump between them rubbing against Jack's stomach with a softness that Jack found endearing, like their son was dancing too.

Jack started singing softly as he and Ianto melted into one another until they were one entity swaying softly in the half darkened room. Jack's voice was gentle and more than one workman snuck past the doorway to watch the scene as word got around that the Captain and the Wolf were customers.

Enough to blow your mind.

Especially to see them as a loving couple, a pregnant loving couple no less. Like normal people. Mind blowing.

Sweet too.


	39. Chapter 39

39

Ianto knew he had been lax as he pushed his way into the Retirement Village Common room and looked around, finding his elderly aunt sitting in a corner humming to herself as she did a jigsaw puzzle.

"Great Aunt Morwen?"

She looked up with surprise, drinking in the handsome man standing there with a soft smile and a box in one hand as a little one clutched the other with huge eyes, "Aunty, it's me. Ianto."

"Sweetie! Oh goodness, where did you come from?" she asked with delight as she moved away from the edge of the table and then looked at the little one "And who is this little star?"

"This is Caden" Ianto sat and Caden immediately scuttled into his lap to look at the old lady and smile softly as Ianto spoke softly "He is my little chick."

"Ahhhh, a little cuckoo, how sweet" she gushed happily, "Isn't he adorable."

"I am sorry I've not been for a while, things have been so crazy" Ianto sighed.

"Caden! From the storm!" she said suddenly, "I remember. And Alice, no Alice today?"

Ianto smiled as she woke up, shaking off her confusion and remembering their past visits now, usually every month but since the attacks he had been lax. He was ashamed of this and wanted to apologise, explain but as he looked at her he found himself wondering if she already knew.

"I take it the family are keeping you informed" he asked.

"The snotty little one with the stupid hair" she frowned and Ianto nodded as he recognised the apt description of his cousin Frederic. Not Fred thanks, "He comes to simper and ask about my will."

"Little shit" Ianto laughed, "He always stole the chocolates at Christmas too."

"What I will leave him in my will" she nodded.

"Well, it would serve him right, after all it's up to you. Remember that little dog you had, little Max who always hated him?" Ianto giggled "Leave it all to the Dog Rescue. That would get him the wee prick."

She roared with mirth as Ianto shook his head and clucked at the little boy, then she reached out for the box and peeked in, "OH! For me?"

"I remembered you saying you missed them and Jack found some during his last travels into the Moors. He got some for me and I decided to share. No fun if you can't share." Ianto said as he held the box down for his little boy to pick a sweet, then he handed it to her and leaned back.

"Not one for you love?" she asked with surprise, these boiled sweets a favourite within the family.

"No, morning sickness has me wary of anything not boring" Ianto sighed and an elderly man sitting nearby swung to gape, then rise from his chair.

"With child? Boy? You are with child?" he demanded and Ianto rose, pulling the tunic taught to show the bump. Now the room came to life as everyone recognised the unmistakable bump of a baby and they all wanted to see. Ianto considered and then in a rare show he lifted the tunic and let them see the taut skin as the Matron entered and froze with shock.

"A little boy" Ianto was saying happily, "We are so excited and his big sister is at home watching the new story go on the house, I couldn't watch, the fear of it falling making me twitch."

"You always did think of worst case scenarios, remember when you were sure the strangles was going to kill us all?" Morwen laughed softly, "such a morbid little boy."

"Yeah, I was wasn't I" Ianto laughed as well, settling back in the chair to watch his son walk around the room cooing at the old people and letting them stroke his hair as they revelled in a little one in their midst.

"Do you remember when you baked me that huge cake?" Ianto asked as he started to lead her through memories and her face glowed as she remembered her long since dead husband lighting the candles. Ianto left her happy and laughing as she talked animatedly with the other residents, the piano still humming from the workout as those who had enjoyed the sing along still sang softly to themselves.

"Ah, Mister Harkness-Jones they will all sleep well tonight" the Matron smiled, "And no wonder you've not been for the last few visits, a little one on board."

"Yes, part of me can't wait to get him out and the other part of me dreads another little one chirping for attention" Ianto sighed, then brightened, "But then…it is another one."

"Such a lovely boy" the Matron laughed as she saw them to the door and waved, wondering why he was so melancholy. Maybe it was the huge Transporter waiting in the courtyard and the armed guards waiting patiently.

Or the way his eyes followed the little boy like he was his lifeline.


	40. Chapter 40

40

Jack had been wondering where Ianto was and found him standing at the edge of the infinity pool staring out over the countryside that crept away over the mountains beyond their house, a stark opposite to the city on the other side.

"Sweetling?" Jack said softly, "You know it's safe, the drop is protected with a shield? Our babies will never wash of the edge."

Ianto snorted as he turned to glance at him and Jack saw him in silhouette, the little one poking out in a most obvious way.

"Ahhhh, I see a bubby" Jack crooned as he moved forward kneeling to place his hands under the bump and feel the weight of it "Oh sweetling, your poor back."

"Going to get worse as he grows, another couple of months yet" Ianto said with pleasure in the affection, his hands carding through Jack's hair.

"What's wrong love? You want to change something?"

"Nothing" Ianto smiled softly, "I wish to change nothing at all my lovely husband. No, it is all so lovely and you have worked so hard. You are so nurturing that my only fear is that when my time comes you will have the pains as well."

Jack roared with mirth, "I wish Owen had never told you about sympathy pains, the bloody bugger was stirring us. I was not fat that day, just slumped in my chair. Look, I don't look preggers too do I?"

Jack pulled his shirt up to show that lovely smooth body and Ianto ran his hand over it, "Nope. Nothing but lust and energy in there."

"Lust for my mate" Jack crooned, pulling Ianto as close as he could with a large belly between them and he kissed Ianto gently, a hand squeezing a bum … OK, maybe two bums got squeezes here.

"What is it then?" Jack asked, "Why so pensive?"

"I feel like something is coming, there is some sort of…weight in the air. I don't know what it is but I don't like it" Ianto sighed.

"Well, we will weather it, you know we will. The storm might tear this place asunder but we will clutch to one another with our babies between us and be safe. If only our love to shield us, it is strong enough to withstand a direct hit from a meteor, I believe that" Jack said firmly, "Do you?"

"With all my heart" Ianto smiled as he felt himself melt just a little.

"Come on, let's go check the lower levels if it makes you feel better, the bugs love clustering around you like little satellites, your big moon baby wafting along." Jack said with a baby voice and Ianto snorted as he rubbed the big bump that was indeed a flame to the proverbial clicking moths.

"The size of a moon Cariad?" he asked as they walked towards the elevator and Jack faltered as he realised he might had overstepped then he saw the amusement in Ianto's face and saw he was being played with yet again.

"My moon" Jack said happily, "My moon and our children are the stars."

Ianto laughed as he stepped inside the elevator "Good save."

"Come on lovely mate of mine" Jack said as they descended deep into the bowels of the castle. The madness was instantaneous with Ianto stepping from the elevator into the inner sanctum of the bugs. He was soon in a chair with several bugs fighting for space on the table for their food offerings and Ianto laughed softly as he spied his little boy wafting past with some bugs, waving to him.

"Tadda. You come play?"

"Yes" Ianto said happily, "I came to play with my lovely friends. They are such wonderful friends to have, I do love our buggies."

"Wonderful buggies" Caden agreed as he clasped a claw affectionately, "Brother will love buggies too."

"Yes love, he will"

Jack left them there for a pampered smothering and went back upstairs, calling the Brig to invite him and his little family to dinner, hoping that perhaps a united front might mike Ianto feel safer. After a thought or two he called Owen and added them too.

Something was ruffling Ianto in a way Jack could feel and he didn't like it, not one little bit.

Jack went back to the roof and stood staring up the mountain like Ianto had, wondering what his inner eye had seen.

Landslide?

Flood?

Invasion?

You could go mad trying to keep it all together ya know, trying to sort the main threads of possibility to find which string was attached to your future. Of course Ianto was overweight, a little one also in the mix.

Jack then turned in another direction heading back down and entering a room he never did, hers.

Ianto's mother rose from her needlework with surplus, dropping it into the chair as she stepped forward "what is it? Something's wrong, I feel it. What is it?"

"I don't know" Jack answered, "But I want you with us tonight, down here in the with us for the evening meal in the lower level please."

"Yes" she said with glee, "Of course, but I ate with you last night, he doesn't like me in there too much…I mean…"

"Don't be stupid, it is you who set the restrictions on your time in his presence, not him" Jack snapped, "He loves you. Stop being as self-depreciating as he is. Show him you forgive yourself your sins against him and sit at the table."

"Yes son" she said softly with surprise at his anger.

He was right.

She had to forgive herself, only then could she see that Ianto had already done so.


	41. Chapter 41

41

It was a lively affair, children bugs and laughter as Caden and Harry came as one another and fooled the poor old lady for a while before she caught on and Yvonne clucked as she cuddled her little one to her happily unable to place her aside in a chair. The Brig's look of primal ownership not lost on anyone either as he sat with their chairs together and one hand mostly on Yvonne's thigh.

Ianto rose and found them all looking at him so he pointed, "Bathroom break, I have need of some relief if that trifle comes my way. I hope it has brandy in it, I miss alcohol. Gods, I hope so."

They laughed softly and Jack made to follow but Ianto patted his shoulder gently as he passed the back of his chair, "It's OK Cariad, I only need to relieve pressure not the entire cargo."

More laughter as Jack sheepishly slid back into his chair and resumed the lively debate with Tosh about some new structure being erected in town.

Ianto walked down the corridor amazed at the work the bugs had done and how pretty it all was, entering the bathroom to sit and sigh happily, lamenting the day he might be able to stand and trust his aim again. He looked at the walls so smooth, and the tiny scratched designs that he knew had been done to please him as bugs don't really care about such things. He smelt something and canted his head as he rose to shake and flush, then he wandered to the sink to wash his hands and he smelt it again.

Smoke?

He walked out into the corridor and took a deep breath, fear crawling under his skin as he sent alarm through the bond to his love and Jack answered with question.

 _Smoke?_

Ianto walked to the end of the corridor and looked up towards the outside world, the spiral staircase led up to the first level, one below ground level. It was stronger and he knew now that he was not imagining it, Jack's hand on his lower back as Jack stepped beside him a balm and he immediately felt safe, calm and in control as they both started to climb. There was no need to comment about the elevator, if it was a fire then it would not be safe.

Jack stepped around Ianto to reach the top first and in another instance he might have been annoyed but knew the baby made things different, Jack was Alpha here and the Captain was in control as he entered the kitchens, "Is something burning?"

Several bugs turned, one holding up a claw as they listened to something beyond his hearing and he turned to speak to Ianto only to find his head tilted adorably as he seemed to listen as well.

 _Right._

 _Cuckoo._

 _Forgot._

 _Huh._

"Shhhhh"

Jack focused on the bump instead, the buttons staining as the fabric sat snugly against their lovely chick.

"A hover outside is burning" Ianto finally said softly, like they were being secretive, "They are searching the keep for evidence of how, apparently they don't like the smell. They say it was not mechanical, they think someone is in here."

"Down" Jack demanded, "Now. Down, back down, now. This is the only way down right?"

"Another on the other side" a bug said in a strange posh voice that showed he had been a service bug before Ianto had 'purchased' him and his family away from slavery, "My brother and his partner guard it already. We are going door to door, room to room. We hunt. You go down my fathers."

"Thank you Gordon" Ianto said softly, a hand reaching out to pat the bug gently on the chest, "Wonderful management."

They started the descend and Jack looked back to see four bugs close the walkway with their bodies meshing together to form a barrier, their intent to seal the lower levels clear and Jack remembered the children, moving faster, "Cora, you! Cora right?"

Cora turned and bowed, her blue fur undulating as her legs splayed out and Jack calmly nodded to the arachnid hiding his fear of her, "Cora love. All the babies, the buggies and all of your kind, all babies into the feeding room please. Then seal it with us inside. Fire cannot reach this level even if they raze the place."

Ianto made a noise of alarm as he glanced back and Jack reassured him, "It will not come to that. We will view this as an exercise OK?"

They entered the room to find several little ones already clustered with the children in the corner of the room with toys, "Well done. Seal this once I leave."

"Jack!"

"Sweetling, if there is someone up there I will find them, tear their skin off and then rub salt on their body, OK?" Jack whispered, kissing him and then hesitating, kissing him again.

Ianto knew he was sidelined and he sighed as he sat to watch his love leave.

Red Carded in the final minutes of the game without even firing a shot.

Damn it.


	42. Chapter 42

42

The Brig had moved to the closed door and sat trying to look disinterested while he kept a hand on his pocket and the sonic pistol hidden within, Yvonne pulled her purse to hook on her chair, her own pistol now in reach as she gathered little Annabelle into her lap and stroked her blonde waves.

Ianto watched the children playing. Spider babies, buglies and Caden were a writhing mass on the floor as Alice laughed and choked, tying to stop her dog from laying on top of her. Their friend from the pound was also there, Ianto's heart not willing to release him into the wilds without a proper start. Of course this really meant he had a lifelong home and family now as he adoringly cradled a little spiderling in his hands and sang to it.

It was almost festive.

Almost.

Ianto was furious, his anger thrumming like a wind fanned scrub fire and it was quickly spreading through the house and staff soon bristling as well. Jack finally accepted that whoever had set the device had done so outside the shields and it had travelled in on the hover.

He knew this was not going to be pleasant and he walked down to find Ianto pale and slightly paranoid in the corner of the room as the children plated around him.

"Hey" Jack chose a chair "It was placed outside somewhere but I still don't know how the shields let it through."

"Who's Hover. Mine?" Owen asked, "I mean me and Tosh are the only non-military here that might be an easy mark right?"

"Yvonne's" Jack said softly, watching his father-in-law explode with horror.

"Oh by Pete, you offered to collect me too, I was so adamant I wanted to finish that stupid report first" Yvonne whispered with horror, "I would have parked where I usually did in the inner parking area otherwise, I came late and left it out in the courtyard for a change. Not raining so I though….oh gods."

"Yes, you park directly under the room we dine in of a normal day" Ianto said slowly, the clipped tone and choice of words showing his anger, "If the bomb had exploded as it should have instead of the shields dampening it as it was detected going off we would all be dead."

"And in the under garage there are no shields" Jack agreed, "This was an attempt not just on you but us as well."

Ianto frowned as he considered and Yvonne looked at the Brig again, "Well? What now?"

"Now you stay here, you all spend the night and do not leave my double shielding" Ianto said sullenly, "The first meeting for the …..shit. The Ethics Committee. Tomorrow is the first sit down for the Cuckoos."

"You think its connected boy?" The Brig frowned, it made sense after all.

"Ianto and Yvonne are their largest threats, the loudest voices at the table. Agreed." Jack nodded, "This has been an assassination attempt."

Ianto was angry as he rose and rubbed his belly, his gaze locked on his mate, "I will not back down and I will not leave that fucking chair empty. I will be there, if I have to take the entire Bug Horde with me, see how they like a room with bugs lining the walls, see who wants to have a go."

Jack knew he couldn't deny him and despite his reservations he also agreed that they couldn't be seen to be intimidated by this act. They were the Captain and the Wolf for the love of Pete!

He also felt that this meal that had been unscripted had not been known of and in all likelihood they had thought they were just getting rid of Yvonne and possibly the Brig. For all the worry this had caused by wanting to please his mate with a surprise meal, Jack was relived he had done so and their superior shielding had not only saved their family but people important to them.

Whoever this was had also made a tactical mistake in not knowing that bugs have a heightened nose. Whoever had placed that device was now scented, known. The fragments taken before he could examine them for himself by enraged bugs who passed them around to scent. If and when they smelt that particular human again there would be bloodshed.

Jack knew it would be a question of when, not if.

After all, the Horde was going with Ianto, would line the conference room like Ianto had spluttered and outer building as well. Let's see how they react to Jones Security Harkness-Jones style eh?

Jack's delight ws also knowing he would be there to see.

Maybe hold Ianto's Burberry for him.

He knew it would be Ianto's time to lead.

His time on the bench over.

He was ready to play and by Pete he was a spear tackler if ever you saw one.


	43. Chapter 43

43

The doors to the conference room swung silently as Ianto pushed his way in, the bugs were like liquid as they swarmed up the walls and around the room, covering the windows to block the sun and plunging the room into artificial light only.

Ianto chose the chair at the head of the table as those already in the room had fled to the other end with horror, now starting to straighten their clothes with embarrassment and he sat, "well? Yvonne? Brig? Captain? Sit my end please, I would like friends in my corner. Come, everyone sit please. Don't mind the security."

People gingerly sat, their bodyguards moving from their spots against the walls in order to avoid the bugs pushing against them and one made a noise of alarm as he found himself caught by his wrist.

Ianto rose and walked towards him, standing close enough for his bump to brush the man's hip. "Hello there, don't mind me, just taking a look at you."

A woman at the table turned to watch with obvious alarm, her eyes wide as another bug dropped to the floor and approached, sniffing at the man as well.

"Is there a problem here?" she demanded and Jack held his tongue, watching Ianto shine as his head swivelled ominously to stare at her, then an eyebrow slowly rose.

"And you are?" Ianto asked politely.

"Luciasher Poomifont" Yvonne replied for her, "Your son was lost in the storm, right?"

Ianto stepped away from the hapless man and leaned forward to examine the woman, "Well now. What do you have against Yvonne?"

"I have nothing against Ms Hartman" she said with a sniff, her eyes flicking back to the young man now openly shaking with fear.

"Then why is your man smelling like the bomb placed on her hover?" Ianto replied with the same calm expression, "Seems he works for you so it stands to reason that you ordered her demise. Right?"

Ianto straightened up and addressed the room, "If anyone wants to take a pot-shot at my family I suggest you do so now as you may not get another chance. While we are on the subject, anyone who wants to have any pot-shots at any cuckoo please stand as it makes it easier to behead you. I am part cuckoo, my child Caden is a cuckoo and this one inside me will be part cuckoo too. We are not a new race, not a fresh breed. We have always been here, part of the bloodlines simply renewed with modern gene splicing and manipulations. However, I am quite violent when it comes to the safety of my chicks and I will not tolerate any hint of danger. Ms Poo…whoever here tried to kill Yvonne and the Brig, my natural father. Unfortunately for her it happened in my keep so not only was the device inactive, my children were endangered with its mere presence. So, those squeamish might want to look away for a moment."

Three did.

Ianto watched as the man's body was torn apart like tissue paper hit with great force.

The wet sound of flesh hitting the floor was almost serene, like a water feature and Ianto realised he was smiling, schooling his features before turning back to the table, "Now Ms Poo thing. I think it is up to the Brig to deal with you, after all you openly tried to kill his desired mate."

"Mate" she squeaked as the Brig rose from the table and stalked around it, his ceremonial sword only now obvious as the sound of it grinding against its scabbard filled the room then the sound of it swinging through the air was a musical note. Her head thumping on the table a dull thud of finalisation.

The Brig removed a pristine white handkerchief and wiped the blade, then replaced it in its scabbard with a sigh of satisfaction. He turned to the table, "Anyone else wanting to question my love for my family?"

Silence.

"Very well Pop, let's get this done" Ianto said grandly, "Let's all have a seat, the bugs will clean up. I do hope they taste OK, not too sour. Bugs don't seem to mind though."

A woman made a sound of disgust and Ianto smiled at her, "Just don't look. They are very quiet and will have devoured them within a few minutes, I assure you dear lady."

The meeting went with mostly Ianto talking and the vote to let the babies remain in their homes was unanimous. The vote for those without families to be homed as soon as possible also unanimous.

Ianto then asked for a vote to vilify those responsible.

A pause, then slowly hands rose until only one remained on the surface of the table and Ianto looked at the man without anger, "Dartyl. I know you worry but your name was only in passing in the notes, I believe you were duped into agreeing to the creating of the visas in order to sneak them here. I have no malice towards you, any cull of undesirables or considered dangerous to the continuation if this planetary peace does not have your name listed. I assure you."

Then finally a hand rose shakily and Ianto nodded.

"Fine, done" Ianto slapped the table and they all jumped "Now I have to pee."

Exit stage left.


	44. Chapter 44

44

 _It was dark, not totally but the pinpoints of light let in through the slats in the bars did little to help with vision as the crate seemed to move like tentacles of some great leviathan, but it was in fact people. Beside it a larger one that was less full allowing those within the space to separate and mourn in moderate peace as in the over packed crate those writhing silently wailed and choked in death …. A tomb for those of the dead and dying._

 _The drone of the engine changed, the vessel they were in dipped and more than one shrieked as something broke from the sudden loss of gravity followed by sudden weight. Ianto turned his head in an attempt to ignore those he could not help across the small space of the cargo hold._

 _Ianto had his own problems._

 _Ianto felt his son's hunger and fear. Ianto cuddled the baby with open fear as he tried to hide both the little bundle and Caden from the others in the pen. It stank, was too hot and he was watching a mother mourn as her own chick lay limp in her arms, already gone._

 _He glanced over at the men who were yelling as they slammed themselves at the bars, screaming for water and food for their kind, the sobbing growing louder as a woman wailed softly, her waters breaking and her mate repeating over and over again that it was too soon._

 _Too soon._

 _Ianto tried to cover Caden's face, tried to save him the horror of watching the half cooked chick flopping into the world only to struggle briefly and then fade away, as the mother lay there sobbing softly, her own spark dimming with the grief._

 _Ianto looked down at his own little boys, their eyes wide and searching for love, attention and reassurance. He knew his smile was weak but all he had to give._

 _Jack was gone, everything was gone._

 _Ash._

 _They had come for them, grabbing them as they had stood in the supermarket between the toilet paper and the pet food. There had been no time to run, not with Jack falling dead at his feet from the sonic boom of the rifle that was the first indictor that there was even a problem. The image of Alice huddled over her father's corpse was burned into his retinas._

 _He could still smell the bug blood as they had valiantly thrown themselves to his defence even as they knew it was also to their demise._

 _Now the cuckoos all huddled forlornly with their wings clipped, caged birds waiting to see if they were required to sing or fill a fucking pot. Children begged for comfort, drink, poor chickies all starved and terrified. Some were well dressed, others naked. All taken by force at the behest of those who sought a cleansing._

 _The baby sniffled and Ianto despaired with his milk long since gone with the fear and lack of food. He looked up as the sound of shuffling and squeaking heralded the food cart. He looked at Caden "Stay here with Astie."_

 _Caden nodded as he took his baby sibling in his arms, his eyes wide with fear._

 _Ianto rose and entered the fray as they all screamed and roared, struggled and snarled as they fought for a handful of food. Ianto swung with malice, his training making short work of those who stood up to him and he finally limped back to his babies, the other children gleefully eating the spoils he had dragged over to them before choosing his own and letting the other adults finally eat._

 _Caden was crying._

 _Crying._

Ianto stirred and sat up in the bed, glancing over at Jack as he snored softly then he rose and padded thtough the house to Caden's room where his little one lay in repose. So sweet. So perfect. So safe. He moved to Alice, then found himself in the nursery looking around as his heart still pounded like he had just run a marathon. He walked down to the keep and stood in the cool night air. His chick fluttered in his gut, the dream lingering there too.

"Just a dream" he said softly as the Panther Plant bowed down to scent him. "I had a bad dream kitty. I'm OK."

The flower bent low and her scent was heady as she nuzzled against him and then rose majestically to keep watch through the night.

His fear sour to her fine taste.

She didn't like it at all.

Her babes all stood to attention as they scanned the keep.

Bad things were in the wind.


	45. Chapter 45

45

"Bennu"

Ianto accepted the photograph silently, looking down at the handsome man who had helped make him, the Bladesinger so handsome, so full of light.

"He would have loved you, loved this family" the Brig said softly, "To know that when he fell his spark didn't fail, he didn't blink away he merely became an ember for a while."

Ianto stared at the photo as the memory burned of that horrible dream and he looked at Jack where he sat on the floor with their son playing, "Cariad?"

Jack looked up with raised eyebrows as Ianto said softly, "Austin. I don't know if it is the right name now, it feels wrong now. As the spark grows he feels like a rounder name, not a steep one but a bouncy one. He feels that he will be funny and energetic, not still and moody like me. More like you."

"OK" Jack nodded happy to agree to anything that pleased his love, their unborn son already 'Bean' when he spoke to him anyway.

"I want to honour my parentals, I have my father's name. I would like my son to have my other parental's name. Bennu. Ben. I want to call the Bean the name of Bennu."

"Oh" the Brig said with open glee, his hands flapping in a way that was so Iantoish that Jack felt a little stir of affection for the man as he gushed at Ianto, "Really? Bennu? You would honour him? My love?"

"My father too" Ianto smiled, "He will be Bennu Harkness-Jones. Jack will choose the middle name but his first and last will be my parentals, the words between Jack's."

"Franklin was my father" Jack said softly, "Can you accept that?"

"Bennu Franklin Harkness-Jones" Ianto said softly as he felt it in his mouth, tasted the words and found them palatable. "Yes, I like that. Rounded and rich. Yes."

Jack didn't know why Ianto was suddenly changing a name he had been happy with but waking that morning to find him sitting in the keep with the Panther Plant looming over him like the grim reaper told him Ianto had a reason for it and who was he to argue when he liked this name better too.

"Hear that son? Your little brother will be called Bennu" Jack said as Caden leaned against him and looked up with such love.

"He's my baby too."

Yes love" Jack smiled, "And he will need you for a big brother because you are so clever and strong. You will teach him how to be a wonderful person just like you are."

"We will be strong together" Caden said with his little hand resting on top of Jack's and Jack felt his heart melt as he looked into the serious little face.

"Yes, of course you will be"

"Because we are warriors" Caden said as he tightened his grip and Jack felt a twinge of something as his son's gaze locked on him. It felt like he was a mouse being examined by a cat. "We are fighters and we win."

"Yes sweetling, we win every time" Ianto agreed calmly.

Caden turned to look at Ianto and Jack felt the tight band around his heart ease, making him take a deep breath and he laughed softly as he realised Caden had been doing it. He had somehow controlled Jack for a moment and he wondered how strong the little chick would be if this one could do that.

"Where is Alice?" Ianto suddenly asked, his face becoming one of fear as he half rose, his hand over his stomach as he went towards the door only to step aside as Mavis entered with question in her face, drinks and ice-cream on the trolley. Caden crowed happily as he accepted his vanilla one, preferring the dipping sauce Mavis had carefully carried for him.

"What?" she asked Ianto who was still hovering in the doorway.

"I couldn't see her" he said sullenly, "I didn't give her leave."

"She her own self" Mavis sniffed, "Stop acting like she fall off the edge of the building without you there to hold her hand. She strong, Willie was with her."

"I know" Ianto smiled, accepting the scolding as he knew it came from her heart, "I just worry."

"Dreams are not realities" she said as she moved towards the door again and came to rest in front of him, "Do not take your dreams as your future, for dreams fade away. Your future is bright sweetling."

"Thank you Mavis" Ianto sighed as he nodded, kissing her cheek.

She puffed her way out happily as Jack frowned "So you told her? You won't tell me but you told her?"

"Don't be stupid, I did not" Ianto snarled, suddenly annoyed, "The bloody flower talked. Never trust a plant with a secret, they puff everywhere"

"Puff?" Jack said with confusion as Ianto left the room then he rubbed his face and rose to follow.

"If these hormonal jags don't settle soon I will do a fair bit of puffing of my own" he muttered as he knew Ianto was heading for his little room of pretties under the world of dangerous things up here.

Still nesting.


	46. Chapter 46

46

Ianto settled in the bedding and took a deep cleansing breath, humming it out as he waited for Jack.

Caden slid into the room and stood watching for a moment, then left in search of his Daddy who was downstairs talking with the bugs.

"He is feeling the heat so I would rather we don't over excite him…hey Stormy" Jack lifted Caden to his hip, "Mavis, maybe he will eat something light if you insist, you know he hates saying no to you but he's not eaten since yesterday morning."

"Bennu is taking the room because he is getting ready" Caden said just as calmly, "He's singing."

The bugs all made happy noises at the little one they considered their wee buggly boy. They did know what the wee one was saying, they were getting ready as well and the thought of the impending hatching had them all excited.

Jack grunted and placed Caden back on his feet as he grimaced and rubbed at his back, "Damn I pulled a muscle pushing that bed over to the window."

The bugs watched with gleaming eyes as his hands slid to the front, cradling the stomach that was not really there.

Mavis turned to another and they had a clicking conversation that had several bursting to life and rushing off as Caden clasped his hands together happily. Caden shot off back upstairs with several bugs in tow, finding Ianto still on the bed but now uncovered except for a corner of the sheet across his lap.

He was hot.

"Tadda?"

Ianto rolled has head to look at the one clutching the edge of the bed with excitement.

"Is Bean ready?"

"Yeah" Ianto smiled, "I think so. I feel a happiness and newness."

"Yay" Caden crowed as quietly as he could, Henry leaning in to look at the belly with alarm as it seemed to move.

"It's OK Henry, it's the baby moving" Ianto explained, "See this bump? It's his head. Oh shit."

"Bad word Tadda."

"Caden love, go call Poppy would you love, tell him I need a word?" Ianto whispered and the little man happily went to obey, used to calling his grandfather all the time.

"Hi Poppy" Caden said as he waved to the smiling man in the screen, "Bean is ready and Tadda said shit then said he wants to talk to you. I think because bean is coming and there is no hole? Beanie is asking where the hole is. Do we not have a hole?"

"Shit"

"See?" Caden said to Henry who stood beside him with mandibles pressed together "They say it a lot."

"Caden" Ianto was calling out, soft laughter as he had heard the conversation, "Sweetling, I will have the bean in the big bathtub. My body will know what to do and it will make a hole as our kind do. Don't worry love, it will not hurt me so much as feel weird. OK?"

Jack came in with a frown, "Babe is Storm with, ah there he is. Sweetie, wanna come to town?"

"Nope, wanna see beanie born" came the sedate reply as Ianto huffed softly and clutched at his stomach.

"what? Oh shit!"

"See?" Caden whispered to Henry, "What did I tell you?"

"What do we do" Jack was moving in a slow circle as Mavis walked past calmly with salts in her claws, "Shit, Owen, I have to call Owen and your dad? You want your dad? Shit."

"Caden already called Papa he is there watching see? You can call Owen, I have a long time yet, the opening is just a thin membrane here at the moment, it will take a few hours to become I think." Ianto soothed, "Mavis is running the bath for me to lay in and Bennu will come out when he feels ready."

"I gotta pee" Jack spluttered and Ianto snorted with mirth as Jack jigged on the spot like Caden then took off to the bathroom, Mavis shooting out with a look of horror, no mean feat for a bug.

The roar of the large Transporter arriving resounded as it dropped with more speed than probably necessary and it landed with a dull thud, the Brig racing for the house with arms flapping as Yvonne followed with their little one, her little eyes gleaming as she felt the bond growing.

Ianto soon found himself in the warm water feeling so fine, Jack naked in with him even as Ianto repeatedly reminded him who was giving birth, bloody exhibitionist did at least make Ianto feel like he wasn't in this alone.

"Give me that towel to drape over our bits" Ianto insisted, "Go get Alice. She needs to see that I am OK, this is all OK. I don't want her scared. The children should be here."

"For the birth?" Jack asked with surprise.

"No reason why not" Owen answered as he entered, "We can cover the bottom half with a sheet, I know what I am doing and the body knows what it is doing, beanie knows what he is doing, shit I am calling him that as well"

"See?" Caden whispered and Henry nodded as that word was used yet again by another Grup.

Must be a good one.


	47. Chapter 47

47

Jack was still panicking slightly as Owen talked over his shoulder to Caden and the little boy leaned over the edge of the huge tub, "Any minute now, are you ready big brother?"

Caden jiggled impatiently as he was more than ready thanks and then he squealed as the water started to change colour, Ianto groaning softly as the pink liquid heralded the arrival of a foot, followed by another.

"Shit, feet first. Typical, must be part Harkness for sure" Owen muttered as he struggled to grab for the bub but he was too fast, shooting from his dam to sink gracefully to the bottom of the bathtub where he looked up at Owen with distrust.

Jack laughed as he reached around Ianto and seized the baby, pulling him out of the water and onto Ianto's chest as Ianto gasped and looked with open adoration at the naked wet wriggler. Then a tiny cry of anger had them all laughing as Jack eased him back into the water to lay in Ianto's crooked arm. Happier, the crying stopped and little blue sapphires rolled around the room as Bennu looked at everyone.

"Hello Beanie, I'm Caden" Caden said grandly, "I will be your guide in this journey of madness."

Jack blinked and started to laugh at their son who showed by his frown at his father that he was being bloody serious. Ianto crooned and swished the water around the baby as those eyes rolled to him.

"Hungry? Wanna try suckling? Yeah? First drink is the most important one. Lots of goodness here for you" Ianto crooned and Jack helped him raise the baby even as he twisted so they were almost on their sides, Owen muttering as he cleaned Ianto and stroked the slit to encourage it to close.

"Ahhhhh, he's trying bless him" Jack whispered with wide eyes, "Look at his wee mouth …ahh….oh. Latched on?"

"Yeah, I feel it" Ianto grinned, "Yeah. He's got it, he's dinking. I know it's silly and he will be on a bottle in a few days but it feels so nice to know I gave him this. I did this important thing for him."

Ianto's eyes slid to the little boy watching with wide eyes as Alice helped prepare the towels and such with Mama Mavis. The Brig was silent, his own child in his arms as she closed her eyes to commune with her new bond sibling and Caden felt it too, the humming growing until it could be heard by the others and the baby was serenaded while having his first drink of goodness.

"Your mama did this for you Caden" Ianto whispered, "She was dying but managed to give you this last piece of love before she slipped away."

"She did?"

"She loved you so very much, she wanted you safe and loved and I promised I would never let you go" Ianto smiled as he looked up from his child to those piercing eyes that resembled his own as strongly as the new life in his arms had Jack's. "You are my fist son and I will always be so proud to call you mine. Bennu has such a great friend and protector."

Caden grinned and looked back down at his brother with new interest as he knew being a big brother was gong to be real work, he was so excited.

"So, what now?" Alice asked, "I mean, when can I have him?"

The laughter was light as Ianto relaxed into Jack's arms and drifted with the warmth of the water and loving bond, his father doing what he could to add comfort and affection to said bond as he cuddled his little girl and kissed her hair.

Family was everything and the Brig was so honoured to see the birth of what he knew damned well would a powerful and forceful man one day, both bloodlines full of anger, power and most importantly intelligence.

He looked over to his bride and saw her face reflecting his own as she accepted Alice into her arms and they cuddled for a while, the little girl wanting comfort as she saw it was really a boy, not the girl she secretly hoped might still appear instead.

Didn't matter.

A baby is a baby and Alice knew she would be allowed lots of mothering too.

This was her baby too.


	48. Chapter 48

48

"You OK love?" Jack asked softly as he settled Ianto into the bedding, all lumped around him like a big nest and he watched as Caden calmly plumped it all more, then he realised that was exactly what the little one was trying to make. A nest for the chickie. Ahhhhhhh.

"Angel?" Yvonne said softly as her little one slid from the Brig's lap to join in and soon both little ones were making soft clucking noises as they pulled and patted at the edge of the bed.

"It's OK, they are nesting for Bennu" Jack whispered with awe, "Amazing. Instinct is a powerful thing, their birdyness is telling them a chick is here and they want to protect him. So sweet."

"Ah" The Brig smiled as he settled in his chair and relaxed, his son and new grandson getting attention as Ianto blinked wearily around the room and then his gaze settled on him with a soft smile. "Do you need anything dumpling?"

"No Taddy" Ianto sighed sleepily and the Brig felt a tug in his heartstrings as the polite 'Pappa' was slipped to one side for a more personal title.

"My Taddy too" Angel whispered to Ianto as she leaned in, "We connected."

"Yes darling, we are" Ianto smiled, this one so sweet with Yvonne's hair flowing in soft ringlets around her shoulders to show the Jones curls even with the Hartman colour. What a combination and she was clearly more than happy with her bonding, both parentals watching on proudly as their wee chick tended to the nest.

"I think that is a super nest I could have never made one so fine" Jack said after a while, "Now how about everyone goes and has a feast to celebrate the baby. Mavis has some cake I am sure, me and Ianto will cuddle and have some bonding time, yeah?"

"Bonding is important" Angel agreed with a forceful nod.

"Cake" Caden hissed as he slithered off the bed and Ianto looked lovingly at his mate who was now sliding into the nest, careful not to break the children's hard work.

Come on, let's see what Mama Mavis made for us" Yvonne said happily, little hands sliding into hers as the Brig scooped Alice up bridal style and carried her along as he promised a special day for him and her so they could do some baby shopping together. She must know the best things to get a baby being the bestest big sister in the worlds.

"We have all we need" Jack sighed softly.

"But she doesn't" Ianto slurred as he snuggled in, "He is giving her some power. She is feeling a bit stressed, also a bit sad that she still wants a sister. Yvonne needs to watch she doesn't steal Angel and puts her on a box somewhere like a dolly."

Jack laughed softly and kissed Ianto on the lips, revelling in the warmth and soft pliability of his beloved tiger.

"Tired" Ianto sighed.

"Can I place him in the wee basket between us? I know it is your way to keep them with you but I am terrified of smothering him" Jack whispered softly, "I know you never would, your DNA forbids such a thing but I am human and accidents happen."

"The Moses one" Ianto yawned and Jack collected the soft basket made from material and lovingly woven by bugs, the weave almost like spider webbing and he placed the sleeping baby inside, then covered all of them in the blankets so just heads were peeking out, Bubba already snuffing in sleep.

"He has your snuffle" Jack whispered with adoration.

The answer was a louder snuffle by his ear and Jack resisted the laughter than might wake them both, settling to watch Ianto sleep with those eyelashes fluttering against alabaster cheekbones.

Downstairs cake was indeed on the menu and Alice started to perk up as she realised she did have a sister of sorts and she was already sliding around Angel to offer to help her cut a piece of cake, her mothering need almost overwhelming. She knew it was silly to be sad he was a boy, she knew he would be really lovely and it was also silly to be sad that she didn't have the bond thing the others had. She had Daddy. First and always. She also had Taddy first and she knew she was the bestest girl, they had both told her so lots of times.

Besides…. Angel was a nice size and not needing a nappy or anything like a baby does. Much better to dress and her pretty hair can have ribbons and things.

As Alice eyed up Angel the Brig stifled a grin as he saw the same thing his son had, resisting the urge to pull them apart and instead he settled next to Yvonne and kissed her cheek, "You OK pumpkin?"

"Yes. I have never seen a birth before" she answered, "How amazing was that?"

"Look at our little girls, look. They came like that. Well, both from women but you know what I mean. One minute part of someone, the next part of everyone. Amazing." He agreed, "Will Angel be jealous if I take Alice for some personal treats?"

"No of course not, you do with her too" Yvonne assured him, "Besides, she can have a special day with me while you have Alice. Clearly Caden and his Buggy will want to have their own with Jack. Ianto will appreciate the quiet if we distract them all."

"And Mavis will too" he whispered as he knew she was dying to get her pincers on that baby.


	49. Chapter 49

49

They waited until the morning, arriving to announce their plans for a special day.

The Brig took Alice and Yvonne took Angel as Jack rounded up Caden, Harry and wee Billy into some form of order. Ianto slept as Mavis finally got the child in her arms and ran for the lower levels where they were all waiting impatiently, placing him on a table with reverence and then carefully unwrapping him so they could all see his naked little body as he calmly waved at hem, no fear from the feelings of affection he felt washing over him like the warm water he was borne to.

When Ianto stirred and woke he found his son asleep in the Moses Basket beside him but the clothing he wore was different to what he had dressed him in that morning.

"Wow" Ianto sat up, ignoring the gentle pull of correction in his lower gut and he pulled back the covers to see the intricate beadwork in his son's little nightgown, the bodice looking like a constellation of stars. Such work and time had gone onto the gift and he ran his fingers over it with care, touched that the bugs had done such a thing. His little tufts of curly dark hair were sticking on all dictions showing many claws and pincers had felt it, examined him and probably sniffed him. He knew more than one crusty had probably licked him too and knew he had to accept a lot of things might happen he would never know about, safe with the knowledge his chick would not suffer any harm in the lower levels where those stranger creatures hid from even him.

"Mavis? Mama?"

Mavis rushed in clicking with a tray of food, shoving it at him as he sat back and found pillows being fluffed by Boggyra, Mavis' eldest daughter.

"Thank you Boggy, your own hatching must be soon" he said politely as her extended stomach brushed against the edge of the nest, her egg sack bloated.

"Yes Dada, in two more suns" she agreed happily, always delighted that he noticed her. "We think maybe more than half will ripe"

Ianto found it sad that it meant about half the eggs would not hatch, either duds or deaths. However it was the way of this breed and he smiled as he agreed with her, "Wow, that would mean…what? Three? Maybe four? Good Pete! Better you than me, one is more than enough for my nerves."

She bloomed at the compliment and leaned in, her mandibles brushing over his forehead with affection and he tipped his head back to kiss her face before she recoiled with a giggle.

"Go, hover comes" Mavis said and her daughter slid to the wall then disappeared into the fake panel that Ianto had agreed could be added here and there for the comfort of the bugs who hated people looking at them.

"It's Owen" Ianto said after a moment or two, "I think he has Tosh with him, the Panther is happy as she always remembers banana skins for the babies."

Mavis moved to watch the Purr Flowers waving excitedly as Tosh threw pieces of banana skin to them and then waved happily up at her and she clicked her welcome as the Panther Plant lovingly looked over her brood as they ate.

Tosh was excited to be allowed a hold of the newling, her face shining with delight as a tiny hand reached up to touch her hair with wonder, "Wow, he's so aware."

"It's the Firebird in him, he is going to be as forward as his Daddy I am afraid. I many need a leash" Ianto sighed.

"And one for the bub when he walks too" Owen added quickly, ianto blinking and then starting to laugh softly as he clutched at his tender stomach.

The image of Jack and the baby straining at a leash each while he walked them in the park like dogs too funny to ignore.

The little coo from Tosh's arms showing that Bennu enjoyed his Dam's mirth.

Lovely.


End file.
